Pirate101: Book 4: Dark Flint Rising
by Dr.Musketeer23
Summary: Darkness is rising. An evil power has returned and it is up to the legendary son of Captain Avery to face this challenge. With a massive army behind him, Dark Flint Silver is preparing to strike Skull Island Skyway at its heart. Not knowing what secrets he must face, Adam must defend his home. Are he and his crew up to the task? They need to be or their own lives could be at stake.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Sir," Tauros walked to Flint, who was leaning over a map of Skull Island, "The troops are ready for you." Flint stood up straight and turned around.

"Thank you, Tauros." The dark pirate floated through the air to a platform that Tauros' clockworks had constructed. He overlooked the large assembly of clockworks and pirates. "Clockworks, pirates, soldiers. For too long my rightful place as ruler of Skull Island has been lost to me. No more. Now is the time to strike. Because of our enemy's brother, I am now able to reclaim what is mine!" The crowd cheered for him. "Those of you that fight for me shall possess powers beyond your imaginations; you will be stronger than even Merciless Adam Silver!" Flint raised his fist. "The Spiral shall see the strength of our numbers and will know this day as the rise of the Dark Pirates and the last day of freedom." The crowd cheered louder than before. Flint lowered his arm. "But remember, Mr. Silver is mine. Prepare your ships and weapons." Flint floated back down where his elite squad was waiting for him.

"Well put, Mr. Silver," Jinx chuckled, "All you needed to make it perfect was a mask to cover half of your face and a set of white gloves. I would have gone for a Phantom look."

"Thank you for your compliment, Jinx." He turned to Kyle. "Did you secure the assets I requested?" Kyle turned to Hannah and motioned her over. Pedro joined her with three figures, donning bags on their heads, in tow. "I'd like to speak with them." Hannah, Pedro, and Kristen removed their hoods, revealing the prisoners to be Morgan, Sirena, and Brave. "I hope you enjoyed my little speech."

"You won't get away with this," Sirena protested, "Once everyone realizes how long we've been gone…"

"You see Mrs. Smith, everyone thinks you're on your honeymoon and that Brave is searching for his daughter. No one has any reason to look for you." Flint walked in front of Brave. "I hear that you're quite the sniper."

"Give me a spark thrower and I'll put one right between your eyes." Brave spat in the dark pirate's face. Recoiling, Flint wiped the liquid off.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that." Flint drew his sword, and exact copy of Adam's sword made of a black metal. "I'm going to enjoy breaking it." Swinging his sword through the air, Flint asked, "You're right handed, correct? Tauros, take them away." Flint turned around and thought he heard some rocks fall. Not caring, Flint continued on to inspect his army.

"I've got to get back," Mary whispered to herself, "I've got to let Adam know what's coming." She raced to her ship on the far side of Dragonspyre. She removed the boarding planks and sailed away from the island.


	2. Chapter 1 A Message

Ch. 1 A Message

"Hey, you're up." Lenora got out of the bed and saw Adam sitting in a chair by the window. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten," Adam replied, "Sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time." Lenora leaned over Adam's left shoulder and kissed him. The swashbuckler looked outside and saw three pirates walking up the steps to Adam's house. "Seems like you've got some visitors. I'll get out of your hair for a bit."

"You don't have to go, Lenora." Adam didn't want her to feel excluded.

"It's alright. I need some exercise anyway." Lenora started to leave before the pirates entered the building. "Mary?!" Adam turned and was shocked to see his former best friend, and love interest, in chains with two pirates.

"What are you doing here?" Mary struggled out of the two pirates grips.

"Get off of me," Mary demanded, "I'm not here to cause trouble." The witchdoctor turned to Lenora. "I stopped my sister from killing you; you should know that I can be trusted."

"Take off her restraints," Lenora ordered. The two pirates obeyed and Mary rubbed her wrists in pain. "You've got five minutes to explain why you're here."

"I can do that in less time." Mary handed Adam a data chip. "Blaze is alive."

"Impossible, I killed him."

"That personality matrix of his, Tauros, he told Hannah to use a fragment of dark yum on his body. Blaze was revived. He realized what he'd done, but Tauros took control of his body."

"Sagittarius, is that even possible?" Sagittarius appeared over Adam's right shoulder.

"It shouldn't be. Tauros is powerful, but he's not that powerful. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Adam asked.

"Unless he's not a fragment. The only way he could do that is if he's a full matrix."

"He built a golden arm for his body," Mary continued, "and a small squadron of golden clockworks. I tracked him to Dragonspyre, but it doesn't seem like he's in charge anymore. Someone named Dark Flint is calling the shots. They had three prisoners, but I couldn't see their faces without getting caught. I got out of there and headed straight here. Unfortunately, two pirates blew my ship out of the sky and I was forced to jump onto theirs." Mary scowled at the privateer and witchdoctor that had taken her prisoner. Adam paced around the room as he tried to process the new information. "Also, this Flint guy, he said he was going to kill you personally." Adam stopped pacing and quickly walked until he was right in Mary's face.

"Say I believe you, when are they arriving?"

"Flint gave the order for his people to get their ships ready right before I left. They could be here in a few days or in a few hours. I don't know, but he's coming."

"Lenora," Adam turned to his girlfriend, "Go get Autumn, Ryan, and Will." Lenora nodded and exited the building to fetch them. "You two," Adam spoke to the two pirates, "What are your names?" The privateer spoke first.

"Clever Peyton Kenner," the young lady stated, "I've been a pirate for about five years."

"Mine is Cole Strong." The black haired witchdoctor declared.

"Are either of you interested in a position on my crew?"

"Are you serious?" Peyton asked excitedly. "You'd take a pirate without powers on your crew?"

"We didn't always have powers," Adam reminded her, "Besides, you seem quite capable if you can beat Mary in a fight."

"Yes. Yes!" Peyton shouted.

"I think I'll pass." Cole stated, "It's a huge honor, but I still have a crew to take care of." Adam nodded.

"I understand," Adam responded, "Well, accept this as a gesture of appreciation." Adam picked up a sack of gold and tossed it to Cole. "That is a pound of El Dorado gold; it should keep you and your crew well supplied for a few months."

"Thank you, Captain Silver." Cole exited the building as Lenora and the others walked in.

"Ryan, Will," Adam ordered, "I need you to keep an eye on Mary. Autumn, I want you to take a ship out and see if there's any trouble coming."

"Alone?" Ryan asked. He looked at his wife with his one good eye. "I don't like that. Someone should go with her."

"Ryan, I'll be fine." Autumn was a bit annoyed by her husband. "I'm taking the Bronze Pegasus; you got into clockwork territory with it. I can easily get anywhere." She turned back to Adam. "I'll leave immediately."

"I'll go with you," Will declared, "There's safety in numbers. The new girl can help out and it'll give her a chance to get to know everyone."

"Alright, Will and Autumn will go scouting. Peyton, you and Ryan will keep an eye on Mary. I'll send someone to take your place later. Just make sure that she doesn't cause trouble."

"I understand why you're doing this, Adam, but it's not necessary. I could feel the energy that Flint was emitting; it was dark. Whoever he is, he may be just as strong as you." Mary walked away with Ryan and Peyton on either side of her. "If it's alright with you two, I'd like to get some combat practice in the sparring chamber." The trio walked out and Lenora looked out the window.

"You think I'm making a mistake trusting her?" Adam asked. Lenora pushed herself away from the transparent glass.

"No," the fiery pirate responded, "I think you're making a mistake by not trusting her."

"Her sister tried to kill you. I can't just let that slide."

"So don't, but don't judge her for something Hannah tried to do." Lenora let out a long sigh. "If she's telling the truth and an attack is coming, we need to be ready." Adam kissed his girlfriend.

"In a little while." Lenora laughed and kissed him back.


	3. Chapter 2 With and Without

Ch. 2 With and Without

"Hey," Jordan shouted from across Skull Island's business district. Bonnie waved back.

"Hey yourself," the fox chuckled back. "I've been looking for you." The fox quickly jogged over to her girlfriend. "We've got a new crew member; I figured we should introduce ourselves to her."

"Her?" Jordan raised her left eyebrow in curiosity.

"Hey," Bonnie said, playfully slugging the buccaneer in the arm, "Just remember that you're mine." The two held hands and walked to the Sparring Chamber. The room was filled with shouts of fighting and cheering. Looking on the battlefield, the two saw Ryan sparring with Mary. "What is she doing here?"

"She gave us warning of an attack," a female privateer stated, "Ryan and I are keeping a close eye on her. Literally, in Ryan's case." Bonnie and Jordan looked at her quizzically. "You know, because he can only see out of the one eye." Still confused, the privateer realized what she had forgotten to say. "How silly of me. I'm your new crew member. Clever Peyton Kenner, at your service."

"Oh," Jordan sighed, "So that's why you're with Ryan. Wait, then where's Autumn?"

"Adam sent her and Will out on a scouting mission. I think she said they were taking the Bronze Pegasus."

"So Mary wanted a sparring match?" Bonnie asked. Mary put up her bubble shield, protecting herself from the daggers Ryan had just thrown. "I'll admit, for someone without powers, she's putting up quite the fight." Ryan had been holding back, but decided it was time to end it. His purple aura surrounded his body and he teleported behind Mary. The witchdoctor slammed her staff into the floorboards and her shield pushed the swashbuckler back. She drew a pistol and shot at the assassin. Teleporting out of the way, Ryan dodged the shots and held her daggers against her throat.

"You lose." The swashbuckler grinned.

"Do I?" Ryan looked down and saw Mary's pistol aimed at his gut. An alarm went off, ending the match. Ol' Fish Eyes was sitting in the balcony overlooking the arena.

"The match is over. Both of you had the capability to kill each other by the end. I call it a draw." Mary holstered her pistol and held her staff casually in her left hand.

"I'm going to take a breather." The witchdoctor shook Ryan's hand and left the fighting area.

"Bonnie, Jordan. Keep an eye on her. I'm going to get a bit more practice." Peyton jumped down into the ring with Ryan.

"I'm game." The privateer drew her sword and raised it in a defensive position. "Care for another match?"

"Alright," Ryan chuckled as he twirled his daggers in his hands, "Let's dance."

"I thought you'd never ask." An alarm went off, signaling the start of the match. Ryan ran forward, arms spread out to slash. He slid on the floor and tore Peyton's pant leg. "Is that all you've got?" Peyton threw her sword at the assassin, tearing Ryan's right sleeve. Ryan saw the opening and teleported behind her to strike. He disappeared and reappeared, but was blocked by Peyton's sword.

"What?" Ryan broke the blade lock and stepped back a bit.

"Magnetic gloves." Peyton held out her hands. "They let me retrieve my weapons without going to them." Peyton blocked another oncoming attack and slashed at Ryan's legs. Ryan blocked the attack and chuckled.

"I'll admit, you're pretty good." Peyton threw her sword past Ryan's blind side.

"I've got more than just looks, assassin." The privateer held out her right hand and the blade flew back to her, the hilt smashing the back of Ryan's head. The blow knocked Ryan's daggers from his hands. He reached for them, but Peyton's gloves attracted them before he could arm himself. "Looking for these?" Peyton held her sword against Ryan's neck. An alarm rang and Ol' Fisheyes stood up on his balcony.

"The match is over. Clever Peyton Kenner wins." The crowd cheered as Peyton helped Ryan up. Ryan laughed.

"It's been a while since I've been knocked around like that." The assassin held out his hand. "Welcome to the crew." The privateer accepted the hand.

"Just remember, you don't need some special powers to win in a fight. Sometimes less is more." The two left the arena and found Mary.

"That was an amazing fight, Peyton!" The witchdoctor, fox, and buccaneer ran up to the privateer and swashbuckler. "I've never seen those kinds of gloves before," Mary said, studying them.

"I'd be surprised if you had; I just made them last week."

"Have you ever used them for anything besides retrieving weapons?" Bonnie asked.

"I tried to scale a building," Peyton answered, "But they shorted out when I got too high. I lost a good bounty because of that." The brown haired pirate put her gloves in her back pocket. "So, care to show me around?"

"I'd be glad to." Ryan grinned and the two walked off. Mary watched them alongside Bonnie and Jordan.

"Does anyone else sense something between those two?" Mary chuckled.

"Maybe," Jordan responded, "But he won't do anything about it." Mary turned to the buccaneer. "He loves his wife too much to do anything stupid." Mary nodded in understanding.

"Come one," Bonnie said, "Let's all go get a drink at the tavern."


	4. Chapter 3 Scouts

Ch. 3 Scouts

"See anything?" Will looked out on the horizon, checking for trouble.

"Nothing on my end," Autumn replied. Suddenly, something glimmered in the distance. "Wait, I see something." She looked closer and saw a person standing on the edge of a ship. "It's someone on a ship. I'm going to take us in for a closer look." Turning the wheel, Autumn moved the Bronze Pegasus toward the stranded person. As they moved closer, the unknown ship started to turn. "Hold on, it's moving." She studied the ship and saw the holes on the deck below opening to reveal a full set of cannons. "Cannons!" Autumn tried to turn the ship around, but the hostile ship opened fire on them, knocking off the wheel.

"Was that the wheel?!" Will shouted.

"Yep. We're sitting ducks out here." The privateer ran down to Will on the main deck. Cannons continued to fire, tearing the ship apart. "The ship is lost. Can you teleport us back to Skull Island?"

"It's too far." Will looked at the enemy ship. "But I can get us onto their ship. Whoever they are, they'll regret attacking us." Autumn grabbed onto Will and they warped over to their attackers. Drawing their weapons, the pirates were instantly surrounded by twenty or so enemy troops.

"Hold your fire." A buccaneer pushed through the crowd. "I said hold your fire!" He reached the front of the crowd and had his troops lower their weapons. "Hello Autumn."

"Pedro," the privateer sneered, "I should have known it was you."

"If anyone else had found you, you'd probably be dead. Be a little grateful."

"Grateful?" Will asked, venom in his tongue.

"Yes, grateful," Pedro responded, irritated, "Flint said that if we found anyone else, to kill them on sight. You're lucky to be alive right now."

"Wait," Autumn interrupted, "What do you mean 'anyone else?'"


	5. Chapter 4 Worth It

Ch. 4 Worth It

"Do you think it's worth it?" Mary asked. Jordan turned to the witchdoctor.

"Is what worth it?"

"Getting into a relationship when everything we know could be destroyed in a few hours or days or weeks from now." Mary was sanding down her staff to remove any chance of getting a splinter. "If all of this ends tomorrow, you'd have to live with the fact that you're alone again." Jordan looked at her girlfriend, who was cleaning her rifle.

"That's why I'm with her," the buccaneer answered, "If this all ends tomorrow, I don't want to leave with any regrets. I love her and if either of us were to die tomorrow, we'd live for the other."

"What are you two talking about?" Adam walked into the Musketeer's Roost.

"Relationships," Mary responded. Adam raised an eyebrow. "Jordan and Bonnie. Don't worry, you've moved on; I know that. If I really wanted you back, I would have let my sister kill Lenora. I stopped her."

"Jordan and I both watched her and Ryan's fight; she could have killed him if she wanted to," the fox explained, "But she didn't. She's with us." Adam nodded.

"In that case," Adam went on, "I need you three to watch the docks until Autumn and Will come back." The three pirates left for the docks and Adam went to meet up with Lenora for dinner.

"Was it worth it?" The voice brought Adam's attention back to the present.

"Huh," Adam said, "What?" Lenora smirked.

"I asked if meeting me was worth it."

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be worth it?" Lenora's red hair fell in front of the right half of her face.

"I don't know. I just feel like, since we've met, it's been your job to protect me." She brushed her hair out of her face. "I don't like feeling helpless." Adam held onto her hand.

"Hey," the musketeer lifted her chin, "Don't forget that you've saved me plenty of times." The swashbuckler smiled and gave Adam a peck on the lips. "That's my girl."

"Definitely worth it." In the distance, a cannon went off. The two got up from their seats and ran outside. The docks were on fire. Lenora saw a young pirate; she couldn't have been more than fifteen years old. "You," Lenora pointed to her, "Find some fighters and tell them to have their weapons ready!"

"Yes, ma'am," the short, brown-haired pirate responded. Adam and Lenora drew their weapons and met up with Mary, Bonnie, and Jordan near the docks. Ryan, Ratbeard, and Wing Chun weren't far behind them.

"What's going on?" Adam asked. Bonnie pointed out into the distance.

"That." Adam looked and saw three figures walking unrestrained from the docks, dragging a pirate in binds behind them. "It looks like they've got a hostage." Adam drew one of his pistols and stepped in front of his crew.

"Who are you?" The pirate at the head of the crew, clad in black, stepped ahead of the others.

"My name is Dark Flint and I have a proposition for you."

"Who're your friends?" Ryan asked.

"That's none of your business," the dark pirate responded, "But the third person is someone you should care about." Flint kicked the hostage to the ground. "I'm going to make a deal with you and I seriously recommend that you take it: Leave Skull Island." Adam turned to his crew. They looked to each other and nodded 'no.'

"Sorry, Flint," Adam replied from the distance, "But that's not going to happen."

"You know I really didn't want to do this," Flint stated. He nodded to the orange clad swashbuckler, who stepped forward to restrain the hostage. "Ms. Noble, I'm sure you two are acquainted." Lenora looked at the man and saw a knife on his belt. The square hilt had the same symbol that had been imprinted on her neck.

"Dad?" Lenora took a step back and dropped her daggers. "No, that's impossible. My dad wouldn't be trying to take away my home." The brown-haired dagger-wielder spun the knife and held it against the hostage's throat.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Kyle said, "But killing people is just too much fun."

"Kyle!" Flint yelled. The swashbuckler looked at his leader and put the knife back on his belt. "That's better." The dark pirate turned back to Adam and his crew. "I'm trying to be reasonable with you, Mr. Silver; I'm giving you a chance to leave without killing you," Flint drew his jet black sword. "But I will if I have to. Jinx." The brown haired pirate walked up and held out the hostage's right arm. They struggled, but Kyle kept them in place. "This is your last chance." Adam stared at the hostage. He couldn't think of any way out of this situation.

"Just let them go." Flint held his sword against the pirate's neck then moved it away.

"You know what," Flint chuckled, "I will." The black haired psychopath took a step back. "I've got four more just like him." Adam's eyes widened in terror.

'He has more hostages?' the musketeer thought. It was then that he realized that he had handed two of them over to him. "Let my people go."

"I've let one go and you can keep him." Flint swung his sword through the air. "Well, most of him." The dark pirate swung his sword in an upward motion and cut through the hostage's right arm. The captured pirate reached his remaining limb over to cover the wound, the mask still over his head. The three dark pirates retreated as Adam and his crew ran down to take care of the hostage. "I hope this was all worth it, Mr. Silver."

"You better hope that your army is big enough to take this place," Adam shouted back. He knelt over the amputee. "Bonnie give me your scarf. Mary, you and Jordan go get some medical supplies." The pirates ran off while Bonnie undid her scarf. Adam took it and quickly began wrapping it around the stump. "That man is a psychopath." The bleeding started slowing down. Adam looked up the hill and saw the female musketeer coming over the top. She came down quickly.

"What can I do to help?"

"Put pressure on the wound; I'm going to find out which one of my friends Flint has crippled." The musketeer followed Adam's orders and Adam removed the burlap bag.

"No. No, no, no, no, NO!" The young girl screamed. Lenora pulled her away from Adam and the hostage. She struggled to break free of the swashbuckler's grasp.

"Hey, hey, hey," Lenora tried to calm the girl, "Why are you screaming?" The girl wiped the tears from her eyes only for them to be replaced by more tears.

"My name is Brave Riley Bellamy." The little girl turned her head to the pirate. "I'm his daughter."


	6. Chapter 5 Upgrades

Ch. 5 Upgrades

"I came here trying to find you." It was almost five hours later and Riley was in a chair by Brave's bed. They had patched up his wound and moved him into Adam's office, but he was still unconscious from blood loss. "I'd heard that you had worked with Merciless Adam Silver and was going to ask him for help finding you." Riley quickly wiped away a tear. "I guess I found you, but I didn't expect this to happen." Riley put her hand on Brave's stump. "Please don't die when I just found you." Hearing footsteps, Riley turned around. Lenora and Adam walked in to check in on the girl.

"Hey," Adam said, "How're you holding up?"

"I've been better," Riley admitted. She turned back to Brave.

"He never stopped looking for you, you know." Adam walked up to his friend. "He's one of the toughest soldiers I know; he'll pull through this." The three pirates heard a groaning sound come from Brave's mouth. Lenora rushed up to the other pirates.

"Agh," Brave moaned, "What happened?" The sniper opened his eyes and looked around the room. He saw Adam and Lenora first, glad to be among friends again. "Hey guys, what's going on?" Brave tilted his head down and saw Riley. "Riley?" He couldn't believe his eyes. The young girl jumped into Brave's lap and hugged his torso. Brave attempted to hug his daughter, but quickly noticed that only one arm wrapped around her. Breaking the embrace, Brave moved his hand to the missing appendage. All he could do was stare.

"I'm sorry, Brave," Adam apologized, "If I'd just given the order to kill those people, you'd still have your arm." Brave continued to gasp.

"It wasn't your fault," Brave consoled, "That Flint guy is insane. It didn't matter what you had chosen to do; he was going to take my arm from the get go. Besides, you need him to get back everyone else."

"Who else does he have?" Lenora was worried for her parents.

"Their faces were covered, but Pedro said Morgan and Sirena." Lenora took a step back. Adam, noticing her start to fall to the ground, caught his girlfriend and helped her into a chair.

"No," Lenora groaned, "This can't be happening. First my father turns out to be evil, now he's got my parents." She looked up at Adam. "We have to get them back."

"And my wife and Will." Everyone turned to the door and saw Ryan enter the room. "They have my family, too."

"And we'll get them back," Adam assured his friend. "I'm going to get everyone ready to fight. We'll have a regular patrol on the docks to watch for incoming ships. Flint tried to negotiate before; he might try to again. If that's the case, we need to be ready to take them back before he hurts or kills them." Adam stood up and turned to Brave and Riley. "You two need to stay here and rest. You've both had a long day."

"I won't say 'no' to lying down. Besides," Brave stated, "It'll give me time to catch up with my daughter." Adam, Lenora, and Ryan left the room.

"Adam, we're going to need more than just an army if we're going to take on this psychopath. Golden clockworks, an army, and what is basically a group of terrorists are going to be tough to deal with alone, not to mention your brother."

"That thing isn't my brother. If I saw what he's become now, I don't know what I'd say." Adam stopped in his tracks. "Mary said that he had seen his mistakes; I have to believe that he can come back from this. I just have to." Lenora touched Adam's shoulder.

"I want to believe that Adam, but it's a long shot." Adam turned his head to meet the swashbuckler's eyes. "Mary also said that Tauros took control of his body. There might not be a Blaze to come back."

"All of this is well and good, but we need to be thinking about how to get the edge over this army of Flint's."

"Follow me." The two swashbucklers followed Adam into The Commodore's office, which doubled as the privateer training center. The rest of the crew were waiting for them. "After our new powers manifested themselves, I decided that we needed a major equipment overhaul." Adam put his right hand on the table. "I started working on these when we got back to Skull Island. They're all made using small portions of the gold from El Dorado." Adam removed the blanket that covered the table. He took the first item, two tubes that had bands to attach at someone's wrists, and handed it to Lenora. "These are flame routers. You can use them to create whips of fire." He picked up the next item and handed it to Ryan. It was a pair of thin gauntlets that each had two retractable blades. "Hidden blades so that your attacks are never seen and deadlier than ever. The gold is in the blades, which will make them effective against those golden clockworks." Ryan stuck the gauntlets on his arms.

"I'll wear them, but I don't think I'll need to use them. My daggers still work just fine." Adam nodded and moved on to the next item.

"These bombs have been calibrated to trigger our powers at a range. For example, if Ratbeard were to use one, it would send out a shockwave, knocking down anyone in its path." Moving on to the next item, Adam picked up several small square plates. He handed them out to everyone. "We'll give these to the others when we get them back. These use our powers to form a temporary shield around us, absorbing any attacks that may hurt us. The only place that you need to be worried about getting hit is the very center of the device. It's the only place that I couldn't get the gold into without compromising its viability." Adam was far from done; He continued to hand out weapons: there was a new scythe for Jordan that, when the parts were readjusted, could form a high-powered spark launcher, a new pistol for Bonnie that had the same amount of power as a spark sniper rifle, a special blade for Ratbeard that, when activated, sent out three, bladed, spinning disks, a new hat for Wing Chun that would shoot concentrated beams of energy generated by his powers, and, given the circumstances, Adam also gave Mary the new grapple pistol that he had designed with an indestructible ascension cable.

"Hey," Jordan said, "What's that last thing?" Adam turned and saw the last item: a high-powered sniper rifle with what appeared to be a bayonet on the end. Picking up the rifle, Adam explained how it worked.

"This was supposed to be for Brave. He can control spark shots so I designed a bayonet that envelops itself with electricity." Adam set the rifle back down. "This would have let him move the bayonet to slash or stab at enemies at a distance, but without his right arm, the only thing viable would be the bayonet. In other words, it's only going to collect dust." The crew finished admiring their new weapons and added them to their arsenal. "I'd get some practice in if I were you. Flint said that he'd be back. If he wants a fight, you can bet your lives we're going to give it to him."


	7. Chapter 6 Battle Within

Ch. 6 Battle Within

"Blaze, wake up." The distorted voice woke Blaze from his sleep. The former privateer-class pirate held his right hand to his forehead, feeling a massive headache. He looked around, wondering where he was.

"Where am I?" Blaze looked around and saw a bright green forest. In the distance, Blaze saw a golden temple overlooking the island he stood on. "I'm still on El Dorado. Good." Blaze took his sword off his belt and got ready to cut through the forest to the docks. "Wait," Blaze told himself. He looked down and saw that he was holding his sword with his right arm. "This isn't real."

"No, it isn't." Blaze turned to the voice, which now sounded more feminine than the one he had heard earlier. "What? Are you surprised?"

"You're dead."

"Yes, I am, but this isn't reality is it, sweetie?" Fearless Alexis Silver walked to her son. "I've missed you." The young privateer pushed her away. "Hey, is that any way to treat your mother?"

"You're not my mother. My mother died years ago."

"Didn't I just say this isn't real?" Alexis drew her sword. "I'm here to help you."

"I don't need your help. Adam set you free; what are you still doing here?" Blaze made his way through the fictional forest.

"Helping you break out of the prison Tauros has made from your mind." Blaze stopped moving and turned around to face his mother. "Ah, you didn't know that part, did you?" Blaze started to concentrate, trying to force Alexis to disappear. "And right now you're trying to erase me from your memory. That only works if I'm one of your memories; my son, I am anything but. I am, quite literally, a ghost."

"Why are you helping me? Don't you think I've done enough to hurt you and your memory?"

"That's why I'm helping you." Alexis put her open hand on Blaze's right shoulder. "Your brother needs you, and so does the rest of the Spiral. Even if you don't see it yet, you are too important to stay trapped in a prison of memories."

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"I broke through about a dozen levels of memories to find you. No doubt that Tauros has blocked the way I've come in. Which means we'll have to fight our way out."

"Why can't anything ever be easy?"

"Ask yourself that. They're your memories." Blaze and Alexis were surrounded by all of the elite clockworks that had been built, except for Queen. Blaze and Alexis readied their swords. "Any advice on taking them out?" Blaze couldn't think of anything until he saw Deacon step forward, exposing his legs.

"Their joints don't have any armor plating. Attack those first and they'll fall, limb from limb." Alexis ran forward and slashed at the legs of Rooke and Phule. Blaze followed suit to Bishop and Deacon. Deacon started to shoot from his position on the ground, hitting Alexis in her left shoulder blade. She gasped out in pain, but finished stabbing Rooke in the head, shutting down the clockwork general. Blaze saw this and instantly severed Deacon's head from his body. "Don't touch her!" Blaze smashed his boot onto Deacon's faceplate, stomping even after the metal was nothing but fragments. Leaning on his knees, Blaze turned his head and saw that his mother had gone ahead and incapacitated the other elites. "I could have taken out another." Sheathing her sword, Alexis chuckled.

"I know you could. That's why I did more of the work; you need your strength." Alexis grabbed a pistol off of her belt and shot into the trees. "We need to move, now. That shot will attract any dangerous memories that may get in our way." Blaze sheathed his blade and followed Alexis into the jungle. After hours of running, the pair stopped for a breather. "Good to see that being stuck in a suit of armor didn't make you lazy."

"This isn't real, remember?"

"True, but you're only as strong in here as you are on the outside." Alexis looked down at herself. "Or 'were' in my case." Finally, Blaze asked a question that had been gnawing at his mind since he saw his mother.

"Did dad send you in here?" Alexis quickly rubbed her forehead and stood up straight.

"He did."

"Why? I would have thought he'd be the last person to want me free." Alexis walked up to her son.

"Honey, your father loves you. You may have made some bad choices, and yes one of them was killing him, but you're his son; nothing you do could change that." Blaze recoiled when she reached her left hand to his face.

"I don't even deserve to be called his son; I'm just another monster, like Flint." Alexis stepped back and frowned.

"If that's how you're going to think, then what are you fighting for?" Blaze lifted his head. "My brother-in-law wouldn't have ordered Tauros to trap you if he didn't think you were a threat to his plans. I'll ask you again: What are you fighting for?"

"I don't know." For the first time in his life, Blaze was unsure. "All I wanted was to bring you back. I want to help Adam, but I don't want to hurt anyone else."

"You can't stay out of this fight, Blaze." Alexis took a picture off of her belt and handed it to him. It was the same picture that Sagittarius had shown Queen in El Dorado. "Adam is the only true family you have left. You owe it to him to be there." Looking at the picture, Blaze remembered how happy he was before Alexis' death and how angry he was when she died. He'd do anything to avenge that event.

"I'll fight for you. And I'll fight for Adam. I won't let Flint hurt anyone else." Blaze drew his sword and started cutting a path through the imaginary jungle.

"That's my Blaze."


	8. Chapter 7 First Wave

Ch. 7 First Wave

"He's trying to break out, isn't he?" Flint watched as Tauros' body froze up and his aura shimmered. "You should stay here until you regain control."

"NO!" Tauros shouted. "I'll be fine. He has many more memories to fight through before I have to deal with him personally."

"All the same," Flint responded, "Stay here. I don't want any risks during the first attack." Flint went to the bridge of his ship, leaving Tauros below deck. "How long until we reach Skull Island?"

"About ten minutes." Jinx answered, "The first platoon is ready to attack." Noticing the rest of the crew was looking at the two, Jinx leaned in and whispered into his ear. "It's a shame that they're all going to die."

"A necessary sacrifice." Kristen finished for Flint. "No one will remember them when we take Skull Island anyhow." The musketeer planted a kiss on Jinx's left cheek. "Think of it: An entire island all for ourselves."

"How are the defenses coming along?" Adam wanted to avoid any casualties in the first attack.

"Walls are up and we have lookouts on every building, Cap'n," Ratbeard informed. "The only way this Flint guy is getting in here is if he blasts his way in."

"He might do that; we need to be ready if that does happen. No one stands guard on that wall."

"What can I do?" Adam turned around and was surprised to see Brave, leaning on his daughter's shoulder.

"You can go back and get your rest. We can handle this."

"Flint has an army backing him up. You need all of the help you can get. I don't need both arms to shoot a spark thrower."

"No, but you do need two to shoot a sniper rifle." Adam saw the look of desperation in Brave's eyes. "Look, I know you want to help, but you're in no condition to fight. I need everyone at their best and right now you're not. I'm sorry, but that's my final word."

"What about me?" Riley asked. Adam grinned and kneeled down to talk to her.

"You can keep an eye on your dad for me. Keep him from getting into trouble." Riley smiled.

"Okay, got it." The young pirate walked away with her dad. As she left, Adam could hear her talking to Brave. "Adam is pretty cool. His girlfriend told me that he had made you a special sniper rifle. Do you wanna see it?"

"Sure. At least I can do something with a weapon." Adam saw them walk to Avery's Court and went back to assisting with the defenses.

After two hours, every pirate in Skull Island had geared up and were ready for whatever Flint threw at them. Adam had his sword on his belt and his old grapple gun in his boot. Lenora had equipped her flame routers and all of her new equipment, as did everyone else. They didn't like waiting to be attacked.

"Do you see anything, Bonnie?" Jordan called up to the fox, who was standing watch in one of the towers surrounding Avery's Court.

"Nothing yet," she replied. Then, Bonnie Anne saw something glimmer on the horizon. "Wait. I see something." The fox sniper looked down the scope of her rifle and saw three ships enter the docks of Skull Island. "Three ships. They look full to capacity." She watched as hundreds of pirates and clockworks flowed from the ships and onto Skull Island soil with Flint leading the way right through the wall. Kyle, Jinx, and Kristen followed him, towing Will, Autumn, Morgan, and Sirena behind them. Lenora was the first to notice the hostages.

"Mom! Dad!" The swashbuckler ran down the hill to get her parents.

"Lenora, don't!" Adam followed her and pulled her back as a spark bullet landed at his feet.

"That's far enough." Flint held a recently fired spark pistol in his left hand. "I really don't want any blood stains on my old home."

"So you've lived here before."

"Yes. I remember when the first few houses were built here. I helped build the Kraken Skulls Tavern. I put up the bridge that connects Avery's Court to Skull Mountain." Flint grimaced. "Avery's Court. I don't know why I let that fool name it after himself."

"Don't talk about my dad that way!"

"I can talk about your side of the family any way I want to! Your mother got what was coming to her and Blaze is a weak-willed child that was so easy to manipulate. I'm sure he's enjoying his time stuck inside his own head."

"He really is alive?" Flint's words went right over Adam's head until the young musketeer stopped and reviewed what he'd said. "What do you mean 'my side of the family'?"

"Well," Flint chuckled, "Your father wasn't the only Silver to live on Skull Island. Like I said, I helped build this place. He and I made it what it is today. My full name is Dark Flint Silver." Adam stepped back.

"No. You're way too young to have helped build Skull Island. There's no way what you're saying is true."

"Take a good look at me." Flint spread out his arms, begging Adam to get a good look. His sleek black hair matched his own black hair. Adam knew that what Flint said was true. Suddenly, Flint dropped to the ground. Adam looked at him and saw a spark bullet between his eyes. Adam looked up at Bonnie, but he knew it wasn't her; the angle of the shot was wrong. He looked off in the distance and saw Brave with his new sniper rifle. Riley was standing over him, a pistol in her hands, surveying the area.

"I made him a promise. Right between the eyes." Brave stood up, rifle in hand. He shouted, "I told you I could help!" Adam turned back to the opposing force. He ducked down just as Kyle slashed out with his claw blades.

"It's over, Kyle." Adam drew his sword and slid the blade between the claws, locking their weapons.

"No, it's only just begun." Kyle flicked his wrist and Jillian kicked the hostages onto the ground. Kristen lined up her rifle against their heads.

"Ryan, now!" The swashbuckler teleported and stabbed his daggers into Kristen's rifle and watched as the shot backfired into the gun's firing mechanism, exploding both weapons.

"Dang it!" Ryan back flipped and kicked Jinx's feet out from under her. He ran to the four pirates and teleported all of them back to Avery's Court. "I don't get it, how does someone with enhanced speed get caught?" Will ripped off his shackles.

"I'm still working on it."

"Here, take these." Ryan handed Autumn and Will their portable shields and the power grenades. "Shields and power grenades. Be careful, the shields are vulnerable in the very center of the generator." They grabbed their weapons and went back to join Adam in the fight. Ryan detoured, however, and checked in on Brave. "Good to see losing your arm didn't stop you from fighting."

"Doesn't matter if I've only got one arm; you need people. I can't just sit back when there are hundreds of pirates fighting to protect this place." Brave enveloped the bayonet in electricity and sent it into the fight, stabbing an attacking pirate in the heart and recalling it back to his rifle. "Besides, I think I'm getting the hang of this." Ryan nodded and ran around the towers and jumped in the middle of a group of clockworks.

"Mind if I cut in?" The marines swung their axes at the assassin, but Ryan swooped down and used his bare hands to redirect their attacks, making them attack each other. He went for his daggers before realizing they had been destroyed when he stabbed Kristen's rifle. "Dang it." Then he remembered his gauntlets. The brown haired swashbuckler flicked his wrists and stabbed two of the marines in their faceplates, bringing them offline. One of the remaining marines slashed down at Ryan, but the two blades severed the blade of the axe from the staff. Ryan continued to destroy the squad of marines while Adam and Lenora dealt with Kyle, Jinx, and Kristen.

"Kristen," Kyle ordered, "Take Flint's body and go!" Kristen nodded and picked up the corpse, fleeing from the battlefield. "Two on two. Though I was hoping to be fighting alongside Flint."

"Ah, shut it, ya pansy," the British privateer sneered as she drew her cutlass. "We can easily take them." Lenora turned on the flame routers and activated her fire power, creating two flame whips. Wide-eyed, Jillian took a step back. "On second thought, you attack first." Kyle shook his head in shame.

"I don't want to hurt you, Lenora." Kyle lashed out with his claw blades, cutting her sleeve. "But orders are orders. I won't let you keep us from taking what is ours." Lenora launched her whip and hit Kyle's left leg, burning it.

"How can you be my father?" Lenora attacked again. "A real father wouldn't be trying to kill his own daughter. A real father would help her!" Lenora smashed her whips into the ground, sending two columns of fire towards Flint's lieutenants.

"Sagittarius, give me my bow." Adam's golden energy bow appeared in front of him, with an arrow forming as well. He aimed and shot Jinx in the knee. The privateer screamed out in pain. Adam charged with his sword and slashed the rest of the arrow off, embedding the arrowhead into her body.

"Jinx!" Kyle turned and knew that Kristen would kill him herself if he didn't get her wife to safety. Kyle disengaged and picked up the privateer, carrying her back to the docks. Lenora started to follow, but Adam pulled her back.

"What are you doing? We need to end this!"

"Flint is dead. They're nothing without their leader. We need to clear out the rest of these attackers." Lenora wanted to argue, but knew he was right. She nodded in acknowledgement and they joined the rest of the pirates in the fray.

"Come on you pasty faced patsies!" Ratbeard shot two of his disks from his sword and watched them decapitate an entire row of clockworks.

"Good one, Rat," Wing commented as he shot two energy beams from his hat, blasting two fist sized holes in two dark pirates. Autumn joined them and tossed a gravity bomb, pulling a dozen clockworks into its field of range.

"They're all yours, Bonnie." The fox nodded and changed her Sparquebus into a spark launcher. She aimed and watched as the clockworks were blasted into oblivion. Bonnie looked into the distance and saw Flint's lieutenants fleeing the battle, leaving their troops to die.

"They're stuck here. Let's finish this!" shouted Bonnie. She drew her pistol and started to pick off clockworks and dark pirates alike. Adam stabbed his sword into a pirate's chest and charged in front of a line of clockwork marksmen, using the body as a shield. He threw the pirate into one of the clockworks and proceeded to hack and slash at the remaining spark thrower users. Jordan followed quickly behind him and threw her scythe into the crowd, cutting about twenty dark pirates in half. As she picked up her weapon, a spark bullet whizzed by the buccaneer's ear, bringing down a battle angel that had snuck up on her. Bonnie sighed and continued to take shots into the fray.  
"This island is ours," one of the dark pirates shouted, "And no one is going to stand in our way." As he prepared to stab his blade into Peyton, a cloaked figure grabbed onto him and took him into the air.

"Not so fast, bud," Will said, "You've got more important things to deal with." The pirate looked down and screamed as he began his descent. Will teleported to the ledge where Brave was sniping from. Will noticed that the Rajan pirate was missing his right arm. "Brave! What happened to you?" The sniper got up and embraced the assassin.

"Flint happened." Brave put his hand on Will's face and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'm just glad he didn't hurt you." The two heard a cough and turned to Riley.

"So I'm guessing that this is Riley." Will bent down on his knees and grinned. "Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too." Riley looked behind the assassin and saw that there were only a dozen dark pirates left. "Wow, that was quick." Brave turned and noticed the battlefield.

"I'm going to help them finish off the rest." Will chimed, "Be back soon." Brave put his rifle on his back and turned around to see Riley staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing," Riley replied, "Just didn't think I'd see you with another guy." Brave grinned.

"Come on, let's see if we can help anyone that may have gotten wounded." The two walked to Avery's Court.

"We did it." Adam looked out at the bodies that were scattered throughout the business district of Skull Island. "Do you think that's the end of it?"

"No," Sagittarius appeared over Adam's left shoulder, "I thought Flint was dead decades ago. If I know him, he's just getting started." Adam nodded in acknowledgement.

"Everyone," Adam talked to the people of Skull Island, "We did good today, but Flint will be back. Get some rest while you can." Adam walked up to Avery's Court and saw about a dozen or so pirates getting patched up. He looked at the wooden bridge that connected Avery's Court to Troggy territory and saw Lenora with her parents. "Are you okay, Lenora?" She didn't say a word. All the young swashbuckler could do was hold tightly to Adam.

"She's still a bit shaken," Sirena responded. "I knew what her father was capable of, but I didn't think he'd do this."

"Family is a funny thing; you think you know them all and when you least expect it, it gets bigger." Adam stretched his shoulders. "You two should get some rest. It's going to be a long night."


	9. Chapter 8 Old Wounds

Ch. 8 Old Wounds

"Ryan," Autumn called out. "Ryan, let's talk about this!"

"There's nothing left to talk about," Ryan yelled back, "the fact that you could even suggest such a thing scares me!" Ryan stormed off into the sparring chamber. Peyton walked up to Autumn.

"What was that all about?"

"All that I said was maybe there's still a chance for Pedro to come back. He wouldn't kill me and Will. I thought that maybe he's beginning to see how wrong he was. I told Ryan that maybe if he tried to make peace with him, we could take away one of Flint's allies, but he flipped out." Autumn wiped the tears that were starting to form under her eyes away. "I don't blame him, but maybe you could talk some sense into him." Peyton was taken aback.

"Why me?!"

"He needs a friend right now and one that he trusts even a little. He respects you. Please just talk to him."

"Fine," Peyton responded, "I'll see what I can do." Peyton made her way to the sparring chamber. _You'd think his own wife would be able to talk to him._ Peyton opened the door and saw Ryan throwing punched on one of the training dummies. He struck with a right jab, followed by a left hook and a palm strike to the dummy's face. Finally, he finished off his vicious assault with a bicycle kick to the head. The dummy's severed head rolled on the floor and stopped at Peyton's feet. She picked it up. "Hey, ninja!" Ryan turned around quick enough to catch the dummy's head.

"I didn't even hear you come in."

"I guess I'm a natural," Peyton chuckled as she leaned on her hip. Ryan let out a chuckle before reattaching the dummy's head. He continued to attack the training tool while Peyton watched him. "You're form is poor. Here let me show you." She gently nudged him out of the way. "Suck in your gut when you attack; your strike's will be more accurate and have more power to them. And instead of following your jab with a hook, kick out your opponent's legs. If they're off balance, you can get some cheap shots in." Peyton proceeded to do the move as a demonstration.

"That's pretty good."

"I used to be a professional fighter before going pirate. Entered a lot of tournaments and made it to the finals, but I was always tired by that last match." Peyton relaxed herself. "That's not why I came in here though." Ryan raised his right eyebrow. "I heard the end of you and Autumn's argument."

"I'm not going to talk about it." Ryan took his place in front of the dummy and attempted to do the move Peyton had executed.

"You don't have to say a word. Bonnie told me everything that has happened to all of you." Ryan punched the dummy's stomach and stopped to listen. "He was your best friend and he betrayed you."

"Then why can't my wife see that? He had his chance and," Peyton interrupted Ryan before he could finish.

"You also had your chance. You chose not to kill him. There had to be a reason." Ryan sighed in surrender.

"I already killed him once and I just had this empty feeling afterwards. Besides, there was no point in doing it again. I needed to prove that I was better than him."

"Okay, so you spared him, but he also spared your wife and Will." Ryan was confused.

"So?"

"So," Peyton stated matter-of-factly, "maybe he still has a chance for redemption. You heard what Autumn said: Flint would have killed them on sight. Maybe he saved them for himself, but he did something good for you."

"He tried to steal my life!"

"He made a mistake, and a bad one at that. Haven't you ever made a mistake?" Ryan took a step back. No one had ever called him out like that. "You have, haven't you?"

"Okay, I see your point." Ryan kicked a box that was laying on the floor. He leaned against the wall and slunk to the floor. Peyton took a seat next to him. "Maybe there is a chance for Pedro to be trusted again, but I don't think there's anything that could get me to forgive his past transgressions."

"Then don't focus on what he's done." Peyton took Ryan's left hand in her right. "Just think about what he could do." Ryan smiled. Then he noticed their fingers were locked. The two of them broke their grasp and looked away from each other. Ryan stood up and offered his hand.

"Want to show me exactly how to do that combo you did?" Peyton looked at his hand then back to his face.

"Heh," she chuckled, "Sure." Taking her hand, Ryan pulled her up and they started practicing. What they didn't know was that Autumn had been right outside the door, watching and listening.

"Oh, Ryan."


	10. Chapter 9 The Ones We Love

Ch. 9 The Ones We Love

"He should be here soon." Lenora sat on the docks of Skull Island, waiting for Kyle. Adam walked up to her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I know that you don't approve, but I need to try to convince him to help us." Lenora turned away from Adam. "And I need to be able to say I had at least one decent conversation with my father." Adam put her right hand on her left shoulder.

"You want to try and protect the ones you love."

"No," Lenora responded, "I want to protect everyone."

"I can't tell you what to do; no one can, but someone I know once said that no matter how much darkness exists in someone, there's always a chance for them to come back from the edge." Lenora shed a tear. "That's true for Pedro and for Kyle. You have to have faith that he can find redemption on his own."

"You used my own advice against me," Lenora chuckled. "I just want the chance to know my father, but I should just hope that he'll do the right thing." Lenora looked out into Skull Island's skyway and turned to Adam. "Come on. Let's head back up to Avery's Court." The two pirates headed up the steps of the docks to Skull Island. As they walked away, Kyle moved out of the shadows and watched them leave. He pulled out a pistol and aimed at Lenora's head. The swashbuckler looked through the scope, ready to shoot. Then he saw Lenora, his daughter, his only flesh and blood, resting her head on his shoulder. He lowered his sidearm.

"I can't do this."

"On your left," Alexis shouted. She stabbed her sword into a clockwork's chest and sliced up, cutting it in half from the start of the wound. Blaze turned and put up his sword to block an axe swinging at his head. The two defeated the marines and took a breather.

"Maybe if I hadn't created the clockworks, my memories would be easier to fight off," Blaze chuckled. He shook off the gears that had stuck to his blade and sheathed his sword. "How much farther do we have to go?"

"All that's left is Tauros," Alexis responded, "And he'll be waiting for us at the exit." Blaze looked down.

"Alright, I'll take care of him." He started to walk away without Alexis. _I can't lose her again._ Alexis grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.

"What are you talking about? You need me to get to him." Blaze shook her off.

"I can take him by myself. I'm not going to let you die again."

"I'm not going to die again. I'm a ghost, remember?" Alexis ruffled Blaze's hair. Alexis walked ahead of him and saw Blaze just standing in place. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

"I watched you die once. If he kills you before I can get out, I don't think I could live with myself."

"You can't live with yourself now," Alexis yelled. Realizing what she'd said, the pirate took her son in her arms. "I'm sorry, but I've seen too many loved ones fight for the ones they love when the ones they love can take care of themselves." Alexis pushed her son away and held onto his shoulders. "I'm going to help you, whether you like it or not."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" Brave laid on the ground with Will, their bodies facing the opposite directions.

"Keep going," Will stated, "After everything you've been through, I'd have thought you'd give up." Brave put his left hand behind his head.

"Well, it's not like I've never thought about it," Brave sighed. "You remember how I was when you first met me in Rajah. All I wanted to do was get out to save my own skin, but all of you showed me that there was a reason to keep fighting."

"Well, I'm glad that we've had that big of an influence on you," Will chuckled.

"I've always found something to fight for. I've fought for friends, my family, my people, and now you." The two turned their heads and gave each other a playful peck on the cheek.

"You know, we have about five minutes until I have to go on watch."

"Hey, Will!" Will turned and saw Jordan in the archway to Avery's Court. "Come on, you're on watch."

"I guess we'll have to wait until this is all over." Will got up and followed Jordan.

"I'll be waiting."

"Kyle, it's good to see you're back." Pedro greeted. "Did you do what you were sent to do?"

"No," Kyle responded plainly.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean that I didn't kill my daughter, and I won't." Kyle shoved the pistol Pedro had given him back into his hands. "I'm a human being capable of doing terrible things, but I won't add child killer to that list." The swashbuckler stormed off.

"I gave you an order, Kyle." Pedro quickly followed him. "Don't make me your enemy."

"You know you seem to make a habit of making your allies your enemies. First Ryan, then Adam's crew, and now me." Kyle stopped and turned to face Pedro. "Something that Adam told my daughter actually made sense in my head: 'No matter how much darkness exists in someone, there's always a chance for them to come back from the edge.' He said that it was true about me AND you." Pedro stepped back, baffled. "You can keep wasting your time trying to take someone that never really belonged to you back from your best friend, but I'm done driving my family apart." Pedro lunged at Kyle.

"Shut up!" Pedro and Kyle tumbled across the ground in Dragonspyre. Pedro pinned Kyle down and gave him a strong right hook across his face. "You don't know how much I've suffered; what I've been through! I love her!" Kyle raised his hand and stopped the next blow.

"If you really love her, let her be with the one she loves and stop fighting her. Be there for her as her friend instead of an enemy." Pedro lowered his fist and let go of Kyle. Kyle rubbed his face. "Flint is planning on taking everyone to Skull Island next. I'm not going to let him hurt my family." Kyle walked away again. "Maybe you should think about which side you're on."


	11. Chapter 10 Child of Darkness

Ch. 10 Child of Darkness

"I wondered how long it would take you to reach me," Tauros stated. The personality had taken Blaze's current outer form, sporting the Kane armor and a golden right arm. Tauros gestured to Alexis. "And I see you have a little help."

"You think I wouldn't help my own son?" Alexis asked. "Everyone needs help every once in a while. Blaze is my son, I'd die to protect him and I did because of my brother in law." Alexis drew her sword and a small dagger from her belt. Blaze drew his own sword, as did Tauros. The three engaged in combat. Alexis hacked at Tauros' golden arm while Blaze worked on whittling down the armor. Tauros shoved Alexis away and grabbed Blaze by the collar of his shirt. Tossing the pirate away, the personality matrix walked over to Alexis. He raised his sword, but Alexis rolled away from the slash and stabbed her dagger into Tauros' left foot. The matrix winced, but quickly brushed off the injury.

"That tickled." He swung his sword again and disarmed Alexis in the process. He turned and saw Blaze charging at him. The pirate met his clockwork armor-clad foe's attacks and locked their blades for a short period of time. Falling back momentarily, Blaze drew his pistol and opened fire. Tauros moved his sword and deflected the spark bullets away from him, with one grazing Blaze's ear. Tauros lunged and stuck his blade through the trigger area of the gun, flinging it into the air. He proceeded to kick Blaze away and held the gun in Alexis' direction. Blaze got up, but froze when he saw the gun pointed at his mother. "One more step, and I'll kill her again." Blaze didn't move.

"Blaze don't worry about me. Kill him!" Alexis begged. She couldn't bear the thought of her son being trapped forever.

"I can't do it, mom. If you died again, dad wouldn't forgive me."

"He would congratulate you." Blaze's eyes went wide with rage. "He still remembers the kill and loved it."

"My father didn't kill my mother, Flint did." Tauros chuckled at the fact. He turned his head to Alexis.

"You never told him, did you?" Alexis lowered her head. He looked back at Blaze. "Oh, this is just precious. You don't know after all of these years. I thought it would have been obvious."

"What are you talking about?" Blaze demanded an answer.

"Avery wasn't your father; you were never a child of light. Didn't you ever wonder why your powers were stronger when you were filled with hate and anger? Why you unknowingly played right into Flint and I's hands? Why everything you did caused pain and suffering for others?" Blaze started to put the pieces together in his head. "There is darkness inside of you; true evil. Your father," Tauros finished, "Is Flint." Blaze turned to his mother.

"Is this true?"

"Yes. Flint is your father," Alexis answered, "But he never deserved to be your father. He raped me before I met Avery; before I knew who he was and what he could do." Alexis crawled a few inches toward Blaze. "I never told you because I wanted to protect you." Blaze stepped back and knelt on the ground.

"I really am just another monster." A dark aura started to circle around the privateer. "I'm done, Tauros. You win."

"No, Blaze!" Alexis pulled her knife from Tauros' foot and slashed at his fleshy arm. Tauros reached over in pain, but, once again, shook it off. Alexis grabbed her sword and engaged in combat with the personality matrix. "You aren't just darkness." Alexis kicked Tauros' right leg out from under him. "Remember, I'm your mother." Alexis picked up Blaze's pistol and unloaded the whole clip into Tauros' chest, blowing a hole big enough to fit her hand. "You inherited my powers, too. There IS light in you." Blaze just sunk lower as Alexis continued to fight.

"It's too late for me."

"You told me that you'd be there for Adam when he needs you. Are you going to go back on your word now?!" Alexis fell to the ground as Tauros stuck her own knife into her left lower thigh.

"I can't help him." _I spent half my life trying to kill him._ "I don't deserve to help him." Blaze sunk lower and lower into himself until he couldn't see light anymore. Then he heard it. A familiar voice calling his name. He heard Adam.

"Blaze!"


	12. Chapter 11 The Next Push

Ch. 11 The Next Push

"He won't be a problem anymore." Tauros had just reported to Flint on Blaze's status. "Now that he knows what he is, there's nothing left to kill." Flint rolled his shoulders in front of the mirror on his ship.

"Good." Flint reached up to his forehead and rubbed in between his eyes. _Not even a scratch after that good a shot._ "I'll give Brave this, he kept his promise. With one arm, to boot." He turned around and walked out of his cabin. "Everyone's coming this time around. They're overconfident and drunk off of their first victory. They'll all fall like dominos." Tauros nodded and left to prep his gear.

* * *

"Will, do you see anything?" Jordan called from the guard tower across from him. Peering out into the distance, the assassin could make out the outlines of seven frigates.

"Seven ships. Tell everyone to have their weapons ready." Jordan turned around, raised her pistol, and fired three shots. She quickly reloaded and drew her scythe. "I still don't see how someone so small can carry a weapon that big."

"It's not easy," Jordan stated as she twirled it around behind her, "But I manage."

"Show off," Will scoffed.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Adam turned and saw Brave, rifle slung over his back, walking to the battlefield. The young pirate clipped his belt around his waist and grabbed some extra ammo.

"Always." He looked a Blaze, once again acknowledging the missing appendage. "I was wrong to doubt you. Two arms or no; you're still a force to be reckoned with."

"Took you long enough." Brave turned to walk away.

"He's my uncle."

"What?" Brave was taken aback by this confession. "Flint?"

"Sagittarius said that he knows how to control dark energy, that it keeps him young. He's my dad's older brother." Adam rubbed his face, feeling the stubble that had accumulated over the past few days. "It feels like I'm always fighting my family. Why couldn't I have just had a normal life?"

"It's just the hand you've been dealt." Brave chuckled, "I've only got one." Adam couldn't help but laugh. "Now let's end this fight." The two musketeers walked out of Avery's Court. Adam looked back and smiled.

"We can do this."

"Dad!" Riley ran up to Brave and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Be safe."

"I always am." Brave grinned and followed Adam out. Brave looked into the distance and saw Will and Jordan in their towers, weapons ready. He looked further and saw seven ships making their way to the island.

"Everyone, be ready!" Adam looked over the crowd. "We're stronger and this is our home. They won't take it so easily."

"Merciless Adam Silver!" The voice of Flint boomed from the front ship. "This is your last chance to leave unharmed."

"Do you think seven ships full of pirates and clockworks are going to scare us?"

"Final chance." Flint's ship hit the docks and clockworks and dark pirates took to the beach. Flint stepped out in front of his army, his inner circle following suit. The inhabitants of Skull Island stood, undeterred. "Attack!" Adam drew his pistol and opened fire.

"This is your home! Defend it!" Adam turned to the line of musketeers. "Time your shots. Go for the clockwork's first." He turned to Ryan. "Ryan, you sneak behind enemy lines and pick them off from the shadows. Lenora," he turned to his girlfriend, "You're with me. Everyone else, do what you do best." Ryan started his way to the edge of the main battlefield.

"Adam's right, we can win this." Ryan stopped to catch his breath. _But what if I run into Pedro?_ Ryan shook the thought out of his mind. _No, it doesn't matter. I won't let him harm anyone else._ Ryan continued. He looked into the fray and saw a clockwork on its own. He teleported to it and brought it away, destroying it separately from the rest. "Take that you bucket of bolts."

"Maybe I'll offer a better challenge." Pedro appeared, wielding his axe with his new dark energy hand. "I've waited a long time for this."

"New hand, same old arrogance." Ryan flicked his wrists, activating his blades.

"I don't want to fight you, Ryan," Pedro stated, "But I still have a score to settle."

"This again," Ryan grumbled, "You're not getting Autumn." Ryan charged forward and slashed at Pedro's right arm, cutting open the sleeve. Pedro smashed his axe into the ground, nearly severing one of Ryan's toes. "Good, but not good enough."

"Shut up!" Pedro swung his axe, but Ryan quickly dodged.

* * *

"Peyton, watch out!" Autumn pushed her out of the way of a spark bullet.

"Thanks. That was close." Autumn stabbed a clockwork that had gotten close to her.

"Don't mention it." The privateer tossed a gravity bomb and motioned for a line of musketeers to open fire. She turned to the edge of the battlefield and saw Ryan and Pedro fighting. Ryan looked like he was winning. "Oh, no. Not now." Peyton turned and saw the skirmish.

"I'll handle those two; you hold the line here." Before she could argue, Peyton ran off. _Don't do this, Ryan. It's not worth it._ Peyton activated her magnetic gloves and propelled herself up to where Ryan was using the remains of the defeated marine.

"I made a mistake not killing you again!" Ryan's right blade was held against Pedro's neck. "I'm going to correct that." Ryan sheathed the blade and grabbed at the handle of Pedro's axe. Twisting the buccaneer's arm, the assassin disarmed his target and kicked Pedro to the ground. Standing over him, Ryan held the axe to Pedro's neck.

"Ryan!" He turned and saw Peyton. There was a disappointed look on her face. "After all you said the other day, this is how you're going to end this?" Ryan had fire in his eyes. "Don't become a monster." Ryan blinked and the fire was gone. He quickly looked at Peyton, then to Pedro. Seeing that he was holding his axe, he dropped the weapon.

"No," Ryan sighed, "I'm not a monster. Thank you, Peyton." Pedro opened his eyes and saw Ryan, his hand outstretched to help him up. "I'm not going to fight you anymore, Pedro. I want my best friend back." Pedro stared at the hand.

 _Kyle was right._ Pedro took the hand and pulled himself up. Ryan smiled. Then Pedro drew his pistol, pointing it in Ryan's direction, and the smile disappeared. "Duck." The assassin got to the ground and Pedro shot the battle angel that had snuck up behind him. Ryan stood back up and stared at Pedro. "You're my brother. What I did was horrible, but I'm going to do my best to make up for it." Ryan held Pedro's hand in camaraderie. "I'm not leaving your side again." The assassin turned to Peyton.

"We'll pick them off. You help out in the main battlefield." Peyton nodded and headed off. The privateer returned just in time to smash her blade into the skull of a dark pirate. Struggling to pull it out, Peyton used her magnetic gloves to steal a marine's axe. She threw the axe in a spinning motion into the crowd, using the time she'd just bought herself to get her sword free. She made her way over to Autumn, who was fighting alongside Mary.

"Pedro won't be a problem anymore." Autumn looked up and saw her husband and his best friend fighting off clockworks, back to back.

"I never thought I'd see the day." Autumn thrust her sword through a pirate's chest and threw off the body. Mary cast a shield to surround them, blocking a heavy burst of spark thrower and cannon fire from a line of marksmen and dragoons. Autumn bent over and picked up a fallen musketeer's rifle. Running up the wall of a nearby building, the privateer shot at the dragoon's. While she distracted them, Bonnie, from her tower, started to pick them off with her Sparquebus.

* * *

"Dad," Lenora shouted, "Please don't do this." Adam and Lenora had been fighting through the onslaught of clockworks and pirates until they ran into Kyle. The swashbuckler lowered his claws.

"I'm not." Reactivating his claws, the elder Noble drove the blades into the two dark pirates behind him. "I heard what you said at the docks. I'm not going to fight you." Kyle handed Adam a pistol containing a strange spark bullet. "The spark bullet is fused with dark energy. It's the only thing that can kill Flint. If you shoot him now, this all ends."

"Thank you, Kyle."

"End this fight first, then you can thank me." The three of them went back into the fray to locate Flint. They found Will, who was locked in combat with Kristen, holding back the assassin's daggers with her rifle. Adam looked at the ground and saw that Will's shield generator had been damaged. Kyle unleashed his claws and stabbed into Kristen's arm, making her collapse in pain.

"What are you doing?!" Kristen struggled to her feet.

"Finishing this fight. Pedro and I are done fighting against our people." Will was stunned. He turned and saw Ryan and Pedro fighting together instead of against each other.

"We really can win this," Will sighed.

"Come on, let's find Flint and finish this," Adam stated. They left Kristen, leaving her to bleed on the ground.

"Kristen!" Jillian rushed to her wife.

"I'm fine, just kill that son of a sky snake." Jinx found a dark pirate and ordered him to take Kristen to safety. The buccaneer picked up her wife's rifle and took aim.

"Flint!" Adam rushed to the dark pirate. "You're finished." Flint smirked and released a quick burst of dark energy.

"You really think you have a chance of winning, don't you?" He drew his jet black sword. "I've read the prophecy and I know what happens next." Adam aimed the pistol and a lone gunshot rang out.

"Adam?" The musketeer turned to Will, a gaping bullet wound sizzling from his chest. The assassin fell to the ground. _So this is how it's going to end._ Adam, Lenora, and Kyle bent over him.

"No, no, no, no!" Adam tried to stop the bleeding by putting pressure on the wound, but blood was still flowing out. Will breathing became sharp. "Just hang on, Will. Just hang on!"

"Adam," Will sighed, "Tell Brave, 'Don't give up.'" The assassin's eyes started to glaze over. "Don't …. Give …." His head fell back, lifeless. His shadowy purple aura surrounded his body as he slowly disintegrated into nothing. The burst of purple light floated through the air, seeking its successor.

* * *

"Come on, bring it!" Pedro swung his axe into a dark pirate's stomach, slicing him open. He and Ryan had become separated by the onslaught of clockworks and dark pirates that had discovered their roles. The buccaneer moved his head just in time to dodge a spark bullet from a pirate's rifle.

"Never thought I'd see you again." Brave was looking down the scope of his rifle. "Get ready to die." Pedro got ready to fight as Ryan rushed to the sniper.

"Brave, no!" Ryan pushed the gun down, blasting away sand. "He saved me. He's with us." Brave nodded and walked over to Pedro.

"I've got my eyes on you." Pedro leaned on his axe.

"Just keep one of them on the _real_ enemy." Pedro drew his pistol and shot a clockwork marine that had been sneaking up behind him.

"Flint!" The three pirates turned to the noise and saw Adam, Lenora, Kyle, and Will standing in front of Pedro's former leader. Brave surveyed the area and saw that the four of them had him pinned down. The sniper's eyes drifted and saw Jinx loading a spark bullet into her wife's rifle. She raised the rifle and aimed it at Adam's back.

"No!" Brave lifted his rifle and shot at the buccaneer. His shot hit her in the shoulder, making her shot veer to the right. At that moment, everyone looked back at Flint and saw Will fall to the ground. "Will!" Brave fell to the ground distraught. Tears ran down his eyes as he watch the young assassin's body disappear and watched his aura fly into the air. "I didn't mean for this to happen. Why? Why?!" The musketeer's mood quickly changed from grief to anger. "Flint's going to pay!" Pedro was still looking at Will's aura flying in the sky.

"I'm sorry, Will." At these words, the aura stopped swirling in the air and shot straight for Pedro. The purple aura entered the buccaneer's body, causing Pedro's dark energy hand to disappear. He clutched at the, once again, missing limb, and saw a bright purple hand replace it. He heard Will's voice echo in his head, requesting one last favor.

"Don't give up." Pedro looked up at the sky and smiled.

"I won't."

* * *

"Such a shame," Flint chuckled, "If only you'd surrendered, he could still be alive." Adam quickly stood up and shot at Flint. The dark pirate waved his hand and sent the bullet back into Kyle's leg.

"Argh!" The swashbuckler fell to the ground.

"And you. I trusted you. You are **so** going to regret crossing me." Flint's dark aura grew stronger and sent a burst of pure dark energy through Skull Island. Adam's uncle tapped a button on his wrist. "Tauros, bring our guests to Skull Island." Adam turned and saw a fourth ship land at the docks. The personality matrix was followed by dozens of golden clockworks. Adam opened fire, but none of the shots had any effect on them. They were invincible. "What are you going to do now, Merciless Adam Silver?" The pirate lowered his head.

"What do you think?" He drew his father's sword and slashed out at Flint.


	13. Chapter 12 Blind Rage

Ch. 12 Blind Rage

"So you do know how to fight!" Flint laughed as Adam was blade locked with the elder Silver. Flint broke the lock and let out another burst of dark energy. Lenora and Kyle fought off any clockworks and pirates that tried to make their way toward the two, but Kyle was struggling due to his leg injury.

"I'll die before I let a messed up leg keep me from fighting," was his response. Lenora activated her flame routers, incinerating a few dozen dark pirates that had gotten too close. This bought them a few minutes as Adam and Flint continued their duel.

"Lenora." The swashbuckler turned to see Wing Chun and Ratbeard running to her. "There's too many to deal with and those golden clockworks are tearing apart our forces." Wing was scared. "What do we do?" Lenora looked to Adam for an answer, but he was still fighting.

 _It's my call._ "Tell everyone to get on a ship and leave. Head for Dragonspyre and lead them to El Dorado."

"Aye, Lenora." Ratbeard and the young crane ran back into the fray and gave the order to retreat. "Come on! We're leaving. Follow us and you'll live." Autumn heard the order, grabbed Peyton, and went to find Ryan. Peyton led her to the last place she'd seen him. They found Ryan fighting off a golden clockwork marine. His blades were barely holding out against its golden axe. He turned and saw his wife.

"Autumn." This distracted him long enough for the clockwork to spin his blade and slash at his eyes. "Argh!" The assassin held his right hand to his face in agony.

"Ryan!" Autumn threw a gravity bomb, lifting up the golden clockwork and unleashed a sonic pulse from her scream. Her rage had unlocked a new ability. The blast was so powerful, it sent the clockwork flying off of Skull Island. Exhausted, the privateer collapsed for a second before returning her attention to her husband. "Ryan, say something!"

"My eye!" Ryan blinked rapidly. "I can't see!" blood dripped from his wounds. _I was already blind in one eye. Now the other?!_ "I can't fight if I can't see." Pedro and Brave rush up.

"Ryan!" He rushed over to his best friend. Autumn just stared at him. Pedro stared back. He turned back to the assassin. "You're not dying on me. Not now!" Pedro and Autumn each took one of Ryan's shoulders and carried him to the docks with Peyton and Brave following.

"Wait." Brave stopped as they reached the docks. "Where's Riley?" _I didn't see her get on a ship._ "I have to go back!" Brave started to leave the docks, but Pedro's free arm grabbed the sniper's remaining limb.

"There's no time." Brave struggled to break free, but Pedro's grip was strong. "Will gave me a message to give to you. He said, 'Don't give up.' You've got to have faith that she got out and keep going."

"Besides," a voice called out from behind the pirates, "There's no way you're getting back to the island." Hannah slammed her staff into the dock platform, severing it from the rest of Skull Island. The five pirates boarded the Bronze Pegasus while Hannah boarded her own ship, two squads of clockworks and dark pirates in her tow. Both ships took off away from the island. "You won't get away."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Jordan tried to make her way back to the island, but Morgan and Sirena were holding her back.

"Bonnie is still there. I have to find her."

"She'll be fine," Mary shouted to her, "But, right now, we have dozens of injured pirates that need to get out of here. I'm sorry, but we have to go. I can't heal them all on my own." Jordan gradually stopped struggling.

"We're leaving our daughter behind," Sirena consoled. "This is just as hard on us as it is on you." The buccaneer looked out to Skull Island's docks.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

"Impressive." Flint parried Adam's next attack and countered with a thrust that would have damaged the young musketeer's spine had he not dodged.

"I guess fighting runs in the family." Adam sent a signal to Sagittarius to activate his golden bow. As the bow formed, Flint attempted to strike down. Adam blocked with the length of the bow and loaded an arrow. He fired, sending Flint back a few feet. The dark pirate quickly recovered and formed a weapon of his own: a dark energy javelin. _Why does that look so familiar?_ Adam shook away the question and redrew his sword, entering close quarter combat. "Funny that someone so tough is resorting to using a spear."

"It's gotten the job done in the past." Flint deflected Adam's oncoming attacks. "Its first kill is still my favorite."

"Let me guess, you killed someone because they had something you wanted."

"Basically," Flint chuckled, "They got in my way of absolute power." He twirled the lance and prepared to throw it. "Your mother." Adam's eyes went wide at the mention of his mother. Flint saw the opening and let loose the weapon, piercing Adam's upper right thigh. Adam screamed in agony. Flint walked ceremoniously up to Adam's body, lying on the ground. "To tell you the truth, I was aiming for you all those years ago."

"Stay away!" Lenora turned at these words and saw Riley run out between Adam and Flint, pistol in hand.

"Adam! Riley!" Lenora and her dad rushed to the two musketeers, Kyle limping as fast as he could.

"You know, I was going to kill you myself. Savor the moment," Flint stated, "But I've changed my mind. Tauros!"


	14. Chapter 13 Escape

Ch. 13 Escape

(Contains a tribute to Beyblade: Metal Masters)

"Where is everyone?" Bonnie had gotten lost in the destruction that followed Flint's first dark energy blast. Her right arm had started bleeding so she'd stopped the blood with her scarf. _If I had five pieces of gold for every time this scarf has saved a life._ She ran toward Avery's court, seeing that the Golden Archer was still docked. Unfortunately, Flint's whole army was in her way. _Where's Jordan when you need her?_ Suddenly, Flint's army was drawn to something in the distance. Bonnie didn't wait for an answer, she ran toward the steps to Avery's Court. Finally, she saw Lenora and some other pirate. _Kyle?!_ Bonnie drew her Sparquebus and opened fire. Lenora saw her and drew her daggers, deflecting the shots. "What are you doing?!"

"He's on our side." Bonnie looked at Kyle and saw some truth to Lenora's words. She gave him a look that said _don't make us regret trusting you._ "We need to get to Adam. Flint threw some sort of dark energy spear into his leg. Riley is the only one standing between Tauros and Flint killing him." They ran. Kyle struggled more with every step.

* * *

"I've waited a long time for this, Merciless Adam Silver." Adam tried to get up, but the spear that had penetrated his leg prevented that from happening. He watched as Riley stood over him, protecting him.

"Stay away from him!" Tauros took another step closer, prompting the young girl to open fire. The personality matrix chuckled.

"That's the spirit." Tauros drew Blaze's sword. "I like your moxy, kid." He slashed down, but Riley rolled out of the way. She took two more shots before throwing the empty clip out of the gun and loading a new one in. Adam, once again, tried to get up, but couldn't.

"Blaze!" Tauros was taken aback.

"He's gone, Adam." He opened his arms. "I'm all that's left." Sagittarius flashed to life.

"No," the personality matrix stated, "You're lying. He's still in there fighting. I can sense it."

* * *

"Blaze!"

"Adam?" _No. What could he want with me?_ He heard his voice again.

"Blaze, you have to fight back! Stop this madness!" Blaze saw a shimmer in the darkness that surrounded him. "This machine in front of me isn't you. I want my brother back. Please, you can't let yourself be defeated by darkness." Blaze took a step back in his dark cocoon.

"Don't listen to him." He turned and saw Tauros floating in front of him. "Don't hesitate. Go wild with dark energy. Out of control. I can do all of the thinking for you." Tauros shifted his form to look like Blaze. "I am you. Do as I say and everything will be okay." Blaze blinked at these words.

"You're right." _If I can convince him that I've given up, I can break free. For mom. For Adam._ Blaze stretched out his arms, in defeat. _No more running. No more hiding. I will take back my mind._

"Blaze, no!" Alexis lashed out at Tauros, but hit nothing but air.

"He's mine now. Go ahead, Blaze. Release the darkness in your heart."

"You're right. There is darkness in my heart. All my life, I've lived with nothing but hate for my family. I've pushed them away, hurt them, and killed them. I deserve to suffer for what I've done."

"At least you've finally accepted—"

"I'm not done!" Tauros floated closer. "I deserve to suffer, but I won't. You and my mom were both right. There is darkness in me, but, at the same time, I also have light!" Blaze thought back on his choice to stop trying to kill Adam. "It's because of the darkness in me, that my light can burn bright!" Blaze's shadowy black aura was replaced by a bright silver light. Tauros covered his eyes to block the flash.

"What are you doing?! Stop it!"

"Light and darkness, they both exist inside of me." Blaze's light grew brighter with every word he said. "I won't let my mind be destroyed. Not now, not ever! I am the creator of the clockworks. I am Merciful Blaze Silver!" In succession, Blaze heard Alexis, Lenora, Sagittarius, and Adam shout the same thing.

"Blaze!"

"I'm going to help my brother and his friends. I am Blaze." Blaze's light grew so bright that Tauros' holographic form disappeared.

"Argh," Tauros cried out in pain as he vanished. Blaze lowered himself to the ground. As he touched down, a glowing doorway appeared a few feet away.

"Blaze!" Alexis wrapped her arms around her oldest son. "I knew you could do it." Blaze let out a tear.

"Thank you. For believing in me." He let go and looked at the doorway. He hesitated. "If I go through there, I won't be the same, will I?" Alexis shook her head.

"No," she stated, bluntly, "But you don't really have a choice, do you?" Blaze chuckled. He'd almost forgotten what his own laugh sounded like.

"Will I ever see you again?" Alexis closed her eyes and smiled.

"I've never left you, sweetie." She touched her left hand to his heart. "I'm with you." She started to cry. "Always." Blaze smiled and stepped through the glowing doorway that linked his mind to the real world. Alexis was left alone as the dream world started to collapse around her. "Do you think you made to right choice? Not telling him that you were here all along?" Avery walked out of the shadows.

"He needed to find his own reason to fight." Avery held his wife's hand. "We need to go." At that, they vanished.

* * *

"Good bye, Adam." Tauros lifted his sword and prepared to strike down.

"Riley, move!" Adam shouted. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate. But Riley didn't move and neither did Tauros. He opened his eyes and saw a mix of shadow and light surrounding his brother's body. "Blaze?" The blood red in Blaze's eyes that had marked Tauros' control over the pirate disappeared as they returned to their light brown pigment.

"Hope you didn't forget about me." The privateer let out a burst of dark and light energy, exiting the Kane armor and knocking Flint to the edge of Avery's Court. Lenora, Bonnie, and Kyle made their way to the trio. Blaze found the gear tattoo on his neck and removed it, tossing it toward the Kane armor. He looked down at his right arm, noticing the gold for the first time. "That's new." He turned and saw Flint start to get up. He pulled the lance from Adam's leg and threw it at his father. The dark pirate dodged while Blaze picked up his brother. "We've gotta go!" Lenora, Bonnie, and Kyle picked up the pace. Realizing how weak he actually was right now, Blaze stumbled, dropping Adam. Riley ran over to them and the two pirates each took a shoulder.

"We carry him together." Blaze wanted to argue, but saw a fire in the little girl's eyes. They walked up the boarding planks and waited for the other three to join them.

* * *

"Kyle!" Bonnie turned around and saw Lenora's dad lying on the ground. His leg wound was starting to take its toll. She and Lenora went to pick him up, but he shooed them away.

"No!" _I know what I have to do._ He took off his claw blades and put them in Lenora's hands.

"What are you doing?"

"What I have to do to protect you," he answered. He found a pistol lying near him and picked it up, reloading the almost empty clip. "I'll hold them off. Just get out of here!" Lenora started to cry. "Don't cry, Lenora. This is the way things have to be." Two dark pirates drew closer to the group and he opened fire. "GO!" Lenora and Bonnie started to leave, but the swashbuckler said one more thing before leaving.

"Don't leave me again." Kyle lowered his head as he continued to shoot into the crowd.

"I'm sorry." Flint, leading the crowd, stood in front of his traitorous lieutenant.

"No," his former leader stated, "you will be." Flint reformed his dark energy spear and thrust it through Kyle's heart. Kyle started to cough up blood.

"No apologies; did what was right." The swashbuckler spat blood into Flint's eyes. "I don't fear death and I don't fear you." Kyle's eyes glazed over and his head fell back, dangling in the air.

"You should have." He watched as the Golden Archer departed from Skull Island. "You **SHOULD** have."


	15. Chapter 14 Explosive Pursuit

Ch. 14 Explosive Pursuit

"Pedro," Brave shouted, "Take out those marines." The buccaneer swung his axe and cut five marines in half. "Autumn, I need your help." The privateer joined the musketeer. "I can't get a good shot on Hannah. I need you to lure her out." The two ships had gotten engaged in broadside combat. Hannah's crew had gotten the advantage and boarded first.

"I'll try." She charged in with her sword. She destroyed a spark thrower by slashing the barrel off the edge of the gun. She found Hannah and brought her sword down on the witchdoctor's staff. Hannah drew her broadsword and locked it with Autumn's.

"You're all going to die." Autumn pushed herself off of the deranged sister.

"We'll take our chances." The privateer slashed at her legs, but the wounds seemed to heal instantly. Brave took a shot, but Hannah blocked it with her sword. "Pedro, I could use some help." The buccaneer joined her and brought his axe down on Hannah's armored left shoulder. She spun around and slashed at his stomach, making a slight gash. He clutched at the wound, but shook off the pain. Autumn stabbed her sword into Hannah's lower left thigh. As she screamed in pain, Hannah, by sheer luck, stabbed her blade into the very center of Autumn's shield generator, wounding the pirate's abdomen. Autumn clutched at the wound while Pedro teleported Hannah to the other ship and removed the boarding planks. He knelt over the injured privateer.

"Are you okay?" Pedro examined the wound. "Brave, get some bandages. Peyton, get us out of here." The two did what they were asked. Ryan, with his eyes covered with bandages, exited the captain's quarters.

"What's going on?"

"Hannah stabbed Autumn. I'm cleaning the wound." Brave came back with the bandages and a rag. Pedro lifted the bottom half of Autumn's shirt and cleaned away the blood.

"Is she alright?"

"I'm treating the wound as fast as I can." When he lifted the rag, he was horrified. The wound had turned a light green and was spreading. _Poison. She had poison on her blade._ He looked at Autumn, who had already figured out what was wrong. She nodded no.

 _Don't tell him._ She thought silently. _It'll destroy him._ He nodded in understanding.

"Never mind," Pedro hurriedly said, "The wound wasn't as bad as I thought. No bandages needed. Just a scratch." Pedro stood up. _She doesn't have long._ "Peyton, get us to Flotsam, now!"

* * *

The ship neared the docks of Flotsam, but didn't get far. After a few hours of flying and assessing the damage, they realized that the ship was far from salvageable. Peyton slammed her fist on the wheel.

"Son of a sky snake!" She left the wheel and joined the others on the main deck of the ship. "So this is it? Hannah's ship catches up with us and we all die?"

"If we could find another ship, we could set a trap. Leave the Bronze Pegasus to explode," Brave stated, "But we're stuck in the middle of the skyway with no ship in sight."

"Hey," Someone shouted. Peyton ran to the port side of the ship and saw Jordan, Sirena, and Morgan waving to them. "Need a lift?" Peyton signaled Pedro over and they set down the boarding planks. Jordan boarded, followed by Mary, to help assess the situation. "Is Bonnie with you?" There was silence as Jordan looked at everyone. "What happened?"

"Hannah ambushed us," Brave stated, "She had a whole crew of clockwork marines and dark pirates. Your sister is as charming as ever." That last comment was directed directly at Mary.

"Whatever she is, she's not my sister anymore. She's become so filled with hate that I don't know what to call her." Mary rubbed her temple. "We have plenty of room on the ship, but we can't let Hannah follow us. Any ideas?"

"Just one, we blow up the ship." Ryan hobbled over to the group following the sounds of their voices. "Seems like the only way to do it." He wanted to look around, but remembered his eyes. "Just wish I could see it one last time." Autumn winced at the words, for their emotional meaning and from the pain she still experienced from the poison.

"Everyone load up on the other ship. Mary, Peyton, Pedro, and I will set this ship to blow." Autumn moved to leave, but Ryan grabbed her shoulder.

"Hey," he said as he held her head in his hands. He struggled, but succeeded in finding her lips with his own. "Be safe." A tear passed down escaping Ryan's notice.

"I will."

* * *

The four pirates rushed down to the lower decks and spread the cannon powder and spark powder across the floor.

"Are we going to talk about this now?" Autumn turned around and saw that Pedro had stopped working and was staring at her.

"There's nothing left to talk about."

"If we're talking about you two, it's settled." Peyton had stopped working too. "Unless," she said as she crossed her arms, "There's something else you want to mention."

"What are you talking about?" Mary was confused. Autumn lifted her shirt and showed the poison wound. Mary lowered her head and brushed her left hand through her hair. "She stabbed you with her sword, didn't she?" The privateer nodded in confirmation. "It would take me half an hour to prepare the reversal spell. Just looking at you, I'd say you have about fifteen minutes."

"Wait," Peyton cut off the witchdoctor, "You know about the poison?"

"She started dousing her blades with poison when we joined up with Blaze. I think it was originally meant for Adam. Give him a slow, painful death."

"Well," Autumn chuckled, painfully, "She definitely got slow and painful down." She put down her shirt and continued to spread the powder.

"You can't just brush this off," Pedro yelled. "You're dying!" He put his hands on his head and paced around the lower deck.

"I'm fighting a losing battle!" Autumn snapped. "All I've wanted is to fully mend my relationship with my husband, but I never could because of you. Every time I look at him, I think of the horrible mistake I made." Pedro stepped back. "I betrayed him. I hurt him so bad. No matter how many times he said he forgave me, I've never forgiven myself." Autumn reached for the wound again. "And I'll never forgive myself for all of the things I'll never be able to do for him." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'll never dance with him again. I'll never look into his eyes again. I'll never fight alongside him again. I'll never just lay down with him again. I'll never have children with him, but, most importantly, I'll never get to grow old with him!" Autumn fell to the ground. The other three moved over to her, but she waved them away. "Stay away," she huffed. "I don't even deserve to do any of those things with him. Maybe Hannah stabbing me is just the world's way of cementing that thought in my head." She looked up at Peyton. "I've seen the way you look at him." Peyton's eyes darted away, blushing at the words. "Don't be ashamed. I saw the way he looked at you, too. I haven't seen that look in his eyes in a long time." Autumn looked out the gap of one of the cannon holes; Hannah's ship was getting closer. "You all need to leave." Pedro kneeled next to her.

"No. We're all going to get out of here." Autumn pulled his pistol off of his belt and pointed it at him.

"Hannah will know something is up if there's no one on the ship. Someone needs to stay behind." Autumn leaned against the hull of the ship. "Do you know what I've learned through what life I have lived?" Peyton, Mary, and Pedro looked to each other, confused. "When I was younger I didn't understand it, but now I do know. You don't have any control; you don't control who lives, you don't control who dies, and you don't control who tells your story." She looked down at the pistol. "This is the one death that I can control and I know that all of you will tell my story. Don't take this choice away from me." Pedro slumped down next to her.

"Then I'll be here with you until the end."

"No. I saw a something when Hannah stabbed me. Ryan needs you. He might not realize it, but he needs you now, more than ever." Pedro sat there refusing to get up.

"Pedro," Peyton pleaded, "We have to go." The buccaneer looked at Peyton then back to Autumn.

* * *

"When we board them, search every crevice. They'll be hiding somewhere." Hannah readied her staff and released a soft pulse of energy. _Good. One of them wasn't smart enough to hide._ She signaled for a dark pirate to lower the boarding planks. "Fan out." Hannah set foot on the ship, admiring the blood stains and damaged gears from the previous skirmish. She looked across and saw that the staircase to the lower decks was open. "Too easy." Hannah brought four clockworks with her as she made her way down. She looked at the end of the room and saw Autumn slumped against the wall, barely breathing, her face a pale white. She kneeled in front of her, a wide grin on her face. "How does it feel to know that you're going to die?" Autumn struggled to lift her head. She started to laugh uncontrollably. "What is wrong with you?"

"We're all going to die." Hannah noticed the pistol in the privateer's right hand then looked at the floor, covered in spark powder. Autumn pulled back the hammer. "I'll see you in hell." Autumn pulled the trigger and fell limp. Hannah ran up the steps and shapeshifted into her raven form, flying back to Skull Island. She turned around midflight and saw the two ships go up in flames. The witchdoctor looked up and saw a bright green light shoot into the sky.

* * *

"Where is Autumn!?" Ryan wrapped his hands around Pedro's collar.

"She stayed behind." If Ryan's eyes weren't wrapped, his looks would burn through Pedro's skin.

"What?!"

"Don't blame Pedro," Peyton intervened, "Autumn chose to stay. She knew she wasn't going to make it." Ryan let go of Pedro.

"What are you talking about?"

"My sister's sword," Mary explained, "It was dipped in poison. I couldn't remove the poison in time given the situation. Autumn had already come to terms with it."

"We have to go back for her." Brave supported Ryan. "Ryan needs to be able to at least say good bye."

"If we go back now, we'll be caught in the blast." Mary looked up to Morgan, who was sitting at the wheel. "We need to get the El Dorado. Now." He stood up and adjusted course to Aragon skyway.

"No! We have to go back." Ryan stumbled to the starboard side of the ship and was knocked back by a shockwave. Pedro caught him, but was knocked to the ground by the force of the impact. The two pirates lay on the ground, with Pedro being the only one of the two who could see the explosion. Ryan pushed away Pedro's arms. "Let go of me! Autumn!" Pedro didn't let go and Ryan repeatedly hit the buccaneer with Pedro struggling to defend himself.

 _Even blind he's still a better fighter than me._ Pedro fired up his tornado power just enough to get Ryan out of reach. Ryan unleashed his gauntlet blades and viscously slashed at Pedro. The former traitor grabbed his wrists and kept him from attacking.

"If you really loved her, you would have protected her!"

"Enough!" Pedro pushed him off and drew his axe. "Don't act like I didn't love her. I would have died with her, but she said you needed me. I trusted her choice; you should too." As Ryan lunged again, Pedro met the attack with his axe. As the two quarreled, Peyton looked up and saw Autumn's aura floating in the sky.

"What in the Spiral?" She saw the light form a beam and shoot straight for her. The burst of energy scared her as it engulfed her body. Peyton fell to her knees and screamed in agony. "God, this hurts!" Ryan and Pedro were distracted with their fighting, but no one approached her as they knew she had to ride it out.

* * *

Peyton opened her eyes and saw that she was surrounded by darkness. She ran in front of her, but didn't feel like she'd moved.

"Where am I?"

"Inside your mind." Peyton turned around, drawing her sword. She stood face to face with Autumn. "Hi."

"What am I doing here?"

"I brought you into your mind for a quick second because there's something I need you to do. This memory that I'm going to give you is meant for Ryan, but I need you to give it to him at the right time."

"I will." Autumn faded into the darkness and Peyton looked around, confused. She saw an image fade in and viewed Autumn sitting slumped against a wall. _These are her last words._

"Ryan, it's Autumn. I know this isn't what you wanted." A tear ran down the right side of her face. "I know you wanted to grow old with me, but it's not going to happen." Autumn let a small grin cross her face. "I have a lot of regrets, but my biggest regret," she struggled to find the right words, "Was being unfaithful to you. You forgave me time and time again, but I've never forgiven myself. I didn't deserve your love," Autumn gasped, "But I know there's someone who does. You're going to be mad, and sad, and confused, but don't let that stop you from helping the people you love and who love you right back." The image faded to black and the dream world crumbled around Peyton.

* * *

"Peyton," a voice called, "Peyton, wake up!" The privateer opened her eyes and looked into Mary's eyes. "Are you okay?" Ignoring the question, Peyton looked over to where Ryan and Pedro were still fighting. She stood up and a bright green aura surrounded her.

"Enough!" As she threw out her arms towards the two, they were, in turn, knocked down by a blast of gravity. "You're acting like children!" Pedro stood up.

"She gave you her powers." Pedro looked back down at Ryan. He took the assassin's hand and helped him up. "I already told you I'm done fighting against you, but I know that we're going to fight back. I'm going to fight for her. She won't have died in vain." Ryan turned to where he heard Peyton's voice.

"Take me to the lower levels. I want to rest." Peyton took his arm and guided him downstairs. She got him settled into one of the cots that the injured pirates were resting on. The privateer surveyed the room and saw gloom on the faces of the wounded and resting as they looked at the injured famous assassin. "All I wanted was to see her again."

"She loved you, until the end." Ryan laid his head down on the end of the cot. Peyton leaned down to kiss his forehead, but pulled away. "Don't give up." Ryan turned over and Peyton left him below.


	16. Chapter 15 A Moment to Relax

Author's Notes: Hey everyone. I want to thank everyone who has been following the story so far. It's been a blast to see the constructive and gracious reviews.

A lot of you have probably noticed how the story is getting darker. I'm trying to move away from the spongy joy of the game and insert some reality to it, but rest assured, there will still be jokes and some mild humor. Some things are going to shock you and others are not.

Remember, you, the readers are all knowing, but the characters are not.

Book 4 is almost finished and I'll be starting Book 5 soon.

Anyway, enough rambling. Back to the story.

* * *

Ch. 15 A Moment to Relax

"My home is gone." Adam laid on the deck of the ship while Bonnie tried to pull shards of the dark energy lance and spark bullets from his body. He is in more agony than he has ever been in. He groaned as the tweezers Bonnie was using pulled the fifteenth shard out.

"Our home," the fox responded. She pulled out another piece of shrapnel. "It looks like there's still a piece of the lance right below your knee cap." She touched the tiny tool to the weapon fragment, but as soon as it made contact, a surge of dark energy burst from the wound. Adam screamed in pain.

"Give it to me." Blaze took a hold of the tweezers. "I've got this. Go check on Lenora." The fox stood up and left to check on the swashbuckler. "Just hold still, little brother. I've got you." Blaze held his left hand above the wound and moved the tool with his golden arm. He controlled the burst of dark energy and safely removed the shard from Adam's leg. "I'm sorry. For everything." Adam shifted his head away from his brother.

"How did you break free?" Blaze winced at the question. "It couldn't have just been what I said that snapped you out of it."

"No," Blaze answered, "But it was the last push I needed." As he pulled out another piece of shrapnel, Blaze admitted to his way out. "It was mom. She helped me escaped." Adam propped himself on his elbows. "I was lost, wandering around in my own subconscious. She found me and guided me. Then we found Tauros, we were winning, but he revealed a secret that our mom was too ashamed to admit."

"What was the secret," Adam asked, "If you don't mind me asking?"

"It's the reason I can remove these pieces of dark energy shrapnel from your leg." Blaze stopped momentarily and stared at his hand. "Flint raped mom before her and Avery met and nine months after that night, I was born. He's my biological father." He turned and noticed his brother staring in shock. "We're not truly brothers. Only half." A small smile crossed Adam's face.

"You're wrong," Adam stated, "You're here, now. You ARE my brother." A smile started to creep across Blaze's face. "What happened next?"

"I hit my lowest point and gave up, but Alexis kept fighting. Then I heard you." Blaze plucked out another piece of shrapnel. "I realized that I couldn't leave my mom to fight my battle for me. I found an opportunity and fought back. I kicked Tauros out of my mind and broke free." Extracting the last piece of shrapnel, Blaze grabbed a roll of bandages and proceeded to wrap the wounds. "And now we're here. On the run from a monster."

"We're not running." Blaze faced Lenora. "We're regrouping. We're going to take back Skull Island. Maybe not today or tomorrow or the day after that, but we will." Blaze nodded.

"And I'll be with you when you do." Blaze and Lenora lifted Adam up and took him to his cabin.

"I'm sorry for shooting at you." The three pirates looked at the door and saw Riley standing there.

"You've got nothing to be sorry about," Blaze replied, "You were protecting Adam from me; it was the right call." Riley walked to Adam.

"Are you alright?"

"I've been better, but I think I'm good, all things considered." Riley held something in her hand. It looked like a necklace.

"Do you think my dad made it out?" Lenora could see the tears building up in her eyes.

"He made it out." The swashbuckler put her hands on her shoulders. "We'll find him again. Along with everyone else."

"She's right." Bonnie stated. "We're on course for El Dorado. With luck, everyone will have made it."

"Not everyone," Adam sighed softly. "Will followed my lead, almost without question. He could be annoying at times, but he was family." Adam activated Sagittarius.

"What's up?" The golden figure hovered over the empty chair.

"Is there anything that I could have done to save him?"

"No," Sagittarius answered, "The shot wouldn't have hit anyone, but Brave shooting Jillian shifted its trajectory enough to make the bullet hit. It was an accident that couldn't be prevented." Adam laid his head back down.  
"I'm going to rest." Adam closed his eyes. Everyone left except for Lenora.

"I'm not leaving you."


	17. Chapter 16 Rendezvous

Ch. 16 Rendezvous

"Coming out of the stormgate now," Bonnie announced. It had been a long three hours, but Adam was feeling better and watched as they exited to Shangri-La Skyway.

"I never thought we'd be back here so soon." He limped down the steps of the bridge. "It's only been a week." Adam was tired. He'd used his golden energy to heal the wound when he woke up from his nap, but he still needed time to fully recover. _I really hope this isn't permanent._ As they docked at El Dorado, Adam grabbed his pistols and exited the ship with everyone else. Riley stayed close to him. "You know," Adam stated, curiosity in his voice, "No one's going to hurt you."

"I know," she replied, "I'm just making sure you don't get hurt anymore." Adam grinned.

"You're definitely Brave's kid," Lenora chuckled. They walked through the jungle, hoping for some sign of the inhabitants of Skull Island. They entered the clearing where they'd fought off Blaze's former lackeys and were greeted by a relieved cheer from the population of Skull Island.

"You're alive!" Adam faced the voice and saw Jordan jump into Bonnie's arms. She nuzzled her face into the fox's mane. "I didn't know if I'd see you again. I wanted to go back. I wanted to-"

"Shush, girl," Bonnie comforted, "It's alright. I'm here now."

"Lenora!" The swashbuckler turned and saw her parents, Morgan's arm in a sling.

"What happened," the swashbuckler asked as she embraced her parents.

"Caught a spark bullet to the shoulder while getting out." Morgan rotated his right arm. "I'll be fine in a few days."

"Dad!" Riley ran off to greet her father who had worked his way through the crowd. The musketeer embraced his daughter with his remaining limb, crying every second he held her. He walked over to Adam.

"Thank you for saving her."

"She saved me." It was then Brave noticed Blaze. He drew a pistol from his belt.

"What is he doing here?!"

"That's enough, Brave!" Mary pushed the sniper back. She directed her attention to Blaze. "Good to see you broke Tauros' control. I saw you go down." Blaze nodded.

"I don't expect anyone to be too happy to see me." He turned to Brave. "I'm sorry for everything that happened in the past. And I'm sorry about Will." Brave winced. "It won't bring him back, but I know a bit about artificial limbs. I'll make you one when you're ready."

"I," Brave struggled, "I appreciate the offer. I'll think about it. And, thank you for your condolences."

"So," Adam interrupted, "Where's Ryan and Autumn? They enjoying each other's company while they have some down time?" Everyone besides those that just arrived lowered their heads.

"She's gone." Pedro entered from the crowd.

"What?" Adam couldn't comprehend what he'd just heard. "What do you mean 'gone?'"

"We were followed by my sister on our way out," Mary explained, "Autumn and Hannah fought and Autumn got slashed by her blade. It was dipped in poison meant for you. She knew she wasn't going to make it, so she stayed behind to destroy the Bronze Pegasus hoping to kill Hannah in the process. I know my sister and she most likely got out." Mary turned to one of the huts on the edge of the village. "Ryan has been taking it pretty hard." A thought occurred to Adam after being caught up for the most part.

"Who got Autumn's powers? And Will's for that matter?" He saw Pedro shimmer a dark purple. "Okay, that's one question answered."

"Peyton got Autumn's power," Mary answered, "She's watching over Ryan right now, if you want to talk to her."

"I'll do that. I need to see how Ryan's holding up." Adam went to the hut that Mary had pointed out. He opened the door and saw Ryan lying on the bed, bandages over his eyes. Peyton was resting her head on the edge, sitting in a chair next to him. She heard the door open and shot up. "It's okay, it's just me." Adam raised his hands to show he wasn't there to cause trouble, if only to reassure her.

"Sorry, everything is still fresh." Peyton rubbed her face in her hands. She hadn't slept since the attacks on Skull Island had started.

"What happened to him?"

"Golden clockwork when we were leaving Skull Island. It slashed out his eyes." Adam gently touched the bandages. They were still wet. "We've been trying to keep the wound clean, but whenever he wakes up, he reopens them." Adam removed his hands from the bandages. "I think he hopes he'll die so he can see Autumn again." Adam moved to the window of the hut.

"He's my oldest friend and my strongest ally. Seeing him like this…" Adam turned back to Peyton. "… It's just hard to process." He put his hands on his waist. "I hope he wakes up soon." The door opened and Lenora entered.

"Is he alright?" Adam and Peyton nodded. The swashbuckler sat down in one of the chairs. "How's the leg holding up?"

"It still hurts, but I think I'll live." Adam looked out the window at all of the pirates that escaped. "You made the right call." Lenora had a confused look on her face. "I was in a rage after Will got killed. I would have let everyone on Skull Island die if only to kill Flint." Adam put his right hand on his belt, reaching for the hilt of his sword. _Wait a minute._ He looked down and saw that he had an empty sheath. "Hey, where's my sword?" Lenora's eyes widened.

"Oh, right." Lenora opened the door and shouted, "Riley!" The young musketeer heard her name called and rushed to its source.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I think Adam needs his sword back." Riley fumbled, trying to detach the sword from her belt. When it was finally off, she handed the blade, hilt first, to its owner. Adam reached for the hilt, but hesitated. Lenora noticed. "What's wrong?"

 _How am I supposed to take it back when I almost got hundreds of people killed?_ He knew he couldn't voice this thought out loud. "Nothing." He took the hilt and returned the sword to its rightful place on his hip. There was a small groan and the pirates turned to see Ryan waking up. "Ryan, you're up! I'm glad you're…"

"Get out," Ryan growled. Adam took a quick step back, stunned.

"Ryan, it's me. Adam." The musketeer moved closer to his friend. Rage grew beneath Ryan's skin.

"I know DAMN well who I'm listening to!" Ryan rolled out of the bed. "And I'm telling you to get out!" The assassin still had his gauntlets on, so he activated the blades and started to slash out haphazardly. Adam jumped out of the way, causing Ryan to smash the window behind him.

"What are you doing?!" Peyton grabbed hold of Ryan and pushed the buttons on his arms, deactivating the gauntlets. "He's your friend!"

"Let go of me!" Ryan broke free of her hold using the technique she'd taught her in the sparring chamber. Peyton grabbed her face in pain and felt blood drip down from her nose. Not being able to see what he'd done, Ryan moved to where he'd heard Adam last. "You are not my friend! A real friend wouldn't let my family get hurt. You went above that. You got them all KILLED!" Ryan activated the right gauntlet and raised it up to Adam's neck. "I've lost everything. My friend. My wife. My sight. You've caused me nothing but pain. I'll say it again: Get the HELL OUT! NOW!" Accepting defeat, Adam walked towards the door.

"Lenora, Riley, Peyton, let's go." The four pirates exited. _It's all my fault._

* * *

"So what do you think of the new Ryan?" Brave asked. He had been talking with Pedro until Adam found him.

"I don't even know if that was Ryan," Adam admitted. "After everything he's been through, it's a broken heart that's going to be the death of him." Adam crossed his arms. "This is Flint. He doesn't just want to kill us; he wants to break us down, tear us apart, and erase everything we were or ever will be."

"Flint is a menace," the sniper agreed, "He killed Will and, for that, he'll pay. I'll be sure of that. I'm in this to the end." He looked back at the hut. "But Ryan," Brave searched for the right words, "I think he's just given up."

"We can't beat Flint without him. He wouldn't have had Ryan wounded so badly if he wasn't threatened by him. But his eyes." Adam was still haunted by what had happened to his friend's face. "He's in no condition to fight and we need him to be fighting NOW." Blaze walked up at that exact moment.

"What are we talking about?"

"Ryan's eyes," Brave answered.

"Cybernetic implants should do the trick." Blaze pointed to his gray left eye. "That's how I can see out of this eye. The procedure is painless."

 _It could work._ The thought of having Ryan at full strength was too great to pass up. Then he remembered. "It won't work. He hates the clockworks, and your implants are made of that same technology. He'd rather stay blind." Adam paced back and forth in their small talking space. "He needs an eye transplant."

"You're serious?" Pedro, who had been leaning against a tree, separate from the conversation, finally joined in.

"We don't have a lot of options." Adam punched a nearby tree. "Why do we have to keep sacrificing?" Pedro couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "Something funny? Last time I checked, you were against us."

"Sorry," Pedro replied, "It's just that what you said and something Autumn said before we left her finally makes sense." He pointed towards Ryan's hut. "That man in there was more than just my friend; he was my brother. I hurt him so bad, but now I know that you don't sacrifice family. You sacrifice _for_ them." Adam turned to look Pedro in the eyes.

"Are you saying what I _think_ you're saying?" Pedro nodded in confirmation.

"Give him my eyes."


	18. Chapter 17 Walk Away

Ch. 17 Walk Away

"Ow." Ryan held his head as he sat up in his bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got up. The assassin spotted a canteen on the table on the far side of the room. He studied the object and opened it. He took a sip and was relieved to taste water. "That's much better." He looked out the window and was met with a blinding amount of sunlight, shielding his eyes with his hands. _Wait a minute._ He noticed a mirror on the far side of the room he was in and realized he could see. _It was just a dream!_ The assassin yelled in excitement and ran out the door. He couldn't wait to find Autumn. When he exited the room, he was met by Peyton, Wing Chun, and Bonnie. "Guys, where's Autumn?" Ryan was bouncing in anticipation.

"Ryan," the fox addressed him, "You need to rest. You're not strong enough to be out and about yet."

"I'm not going to rest. Where's my wife?" Peyton looked at the others.

"Everyone, take a few minutes to yourselves." The two pirates walked away, leaving Peyton and Ryan alone. The privateer placed a worried hand on Ryan's shoulder. "What do you remember?" Ryan calmed down.

"I remember a nightmare," Ryan explained, "I was blind. You all left my wife behind to die. You said she was poisoned and wasn't going to make it. You got her powers." Ryan laughed to himself. "Some crazy dream, right?" Peyton lowered her head in disappointment. "What?"

"Ryan, what color are your eyes right now?" Ryan was confused.

"They're hazel. Like they've always been." _What kind of question was that?_ Peyton walked into Ryan's hut and came back out with a handheld mirror.

"Take a look." She handed him the mirror. The assassin looked and noticed his eye color.

"They're green." _Then that means…_ Ryan dropped the mirror and buried his face in his hands. "It was real!" He fell to ground, wrought with grief. "My wife is dead."

"She died saving us all."

"She didn't have to die!" Ryan's eyes were, once again, filled with rage. "Where's Adam?"

* * *

"Ratbeard, check over all of our weapons. See which ones need repairs and which ones can go a little while without them. Then do a count on our ammo; after a fight like that, I don't think we have much left." Adam held a pad of paper in his hands. _And now I have to plan a counterattack._

"Aye, aye, captain." The rat saluted his leader and hobbled away. The musketeer turned to his one armed friend.

"Brave, go check on Pedro. Replace his bandages and bring him something to eat." The sniper did a one arm salute and left. A few minutes passed. The pirate leader set the papers down and sat in a chair in his hut. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Adam grabbed the bottle and cup from the table nearby and poured a glass of yum, taking a sip. "How am I going to keep us going?" Sagittarius appeared over his shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way."

"Ryan wait," a voice called from outside. A thundering crash snapped Adam to attention and he jumped out of the way as the door to his hut went flying in his direction.

"What the…" He glanced at the doorway and saw Ryan, his dark purple aura surrounding him. Two copies of him had already formed. "Ryan? You're up?" Adam was happy to see his friend up and about, but was still on guard. He looked down at Ryan's wrists and saw that his blades were active. "Oh, no."

"Just die!" Ryan lunged at the musketeer as Adam drew his pistols, shooting to defend himself.

* * *

"Hey," Brave said, "You look no worse for wear." Pedro sat up at the sound of his voice. The surgery was a success, but it would be a few weeks before Blaze could finish the eyes.

"I'm alive. That's something. And Ryan will be able to see when he wakes up." The buccaneer heard more footsteps come from the entrance to the hut.

"Good, you're up," Riley noted, "Here, my dad found me on his way here. Thought you might be hungry." Pedro felt her set a plate on his lap. He moved his hands toward the piece of glass and felt a rounded object. "It's an apple, if that's what you're wondering."

"I may be blind, but I can still feel pretty well," Pedro chuckled.

"That's not what you were saying a few hours ago." Riley was having fun messing with the blind man. Pedro groaned before taking a bit out of the apple.

 _Delicious._ Pedro moved his free hand to his eyes. _Damp. Great._ "I guess you're here to change my bandages." Before he could get a response, Brave had already started to unravel the piece of fabric. "Oh, sure. Ignore the blind man asking an honest question."

"Sorry," Brave apologized, "But we need to get it cleaned up now." Brave removed the last of the bandages and stared at Pedro's empty sockets. Riley couldn't help it; she turned away and threw up. "My God."

"I'm guessing it's going to take some getting used to."

"Let's just say," Riley started, "I hope Adam's brother works faster than he says it'll take to make you your new eyes."

"Ryan wait," a voice called from outside. Pedro turned to the voice.

"I thought they said he wouldn't be up for a few hours?" Brave stood up, the fresh bandages still in his hands.

"So did I," the sniper stated as moved to the window. He watched as Ryan blasted down the door to Adam's hut. "Riley, we need to move."

"What's going on," the young musketeer asked.

"Ryan's out of control." The sniper pulled a knife off of his belt. "We need to stop him." Brave turned and saw Pedro get out of the bed, shaking warily as he tried to regain his balance. "Pedro, lay back down. You need to rest and you don't have your bandages on."

"You need me to stop him."

 _He's right._ Brave turned to Riley. "Go on ahead; I've got Pedro." Riley left as the amputee rushed to put on Pedro's clean bandages.

* * *

"Ryan, stop." Adam leaned to the right to avoid Ryan's thrust with his gauntlets. Adam did a combat roll behind Ryan and opened fire. "I'm not the enemy." Ryan stabbed into the ground next to Adam. _His depth perception is off. He hasn't gotten used to his eyes yet._ "I'm your friend!" Ryan growled in anger.

"You're not my friend!" Ryan slashed at Adam, hitting nothing, but air. "A real friend wouldn't get my family killed!" Ryan stabbed and hit Adam in his lower right leg. The musketeer let out a cry of pain. _His legs must be weak._ "A real friend wouldn't force me to keep living when all I want to do is be with my family. A real friend also wouldn't take someone's sight against their will."

"I didn't take it against their will, and don't act like I don't know how this feels." Adam tossed away his pistols and drew his sword. Ryan picked up the table and tossed it at his friend.

"You don't know how it feels!" Adam slashed at the table, cutting it in half. "You're parents are dead! Your brother and uncle are monsters! You HAVE no family!" At that moment, Riley entered the building.

"Ryan, stop!" The young girl grabbed onto his sleeve to hold him back.

"Get off of me, you little brat!" Ryan shook her off, slamming her into the wall. She fell to the floor, a nasty gash lining the back of her head. "Stay out of my way." Adam saw what happened to Riley and, tossing his sword to the side, tackled Ryan to the ground.

"Are you insane?!" Adam slammed his right fist into Ryan's face. "She's just a kid!" Adam continued bludgeoning the assassin. Ryan blocked the next punch and pushed his leader off of him, switching positions with Adam.

"A kid that needs to learn her place." Ryan did to Adam what the latter had done to him, tenfold. After about a minute of beating the musketeer senselessly, something slammed into him, forcing him to end his assault. Adam took the moment to touch his face, feeling blood and gashes lining his face. He looked up and saw Riley standing over Ryan.

"My place?!" Adam noticed that there was still blood dripping from her head, staining her long brown hair. "Is right here: between you and Adam." Ryan got up from the ground, brushing the dirt from his shoulders.

"You are going to regret crossing me." Ryan activated his gauntlets. Riley picked up Adam's sword and held it in a defensive stance.

"Riley!" Brave stood in the doorway, Pedro leaning on his shoulder. The young musketeer did not lower the blade. He looked at Ryan and saw his gauntlets were activated. "You attacked my child?!" Ryan was still hopped up on the adrenaline from the fight. The swashbuckler turned to Brave and noticed Pedro.

"You?" Ryan noticed bandages around Pedro's eyes. "He gave me _your_ eyes?"

"No," the buccaneer responded, " _I_ gave you my eyes." Adam struggled to stand on his feet, dizzy from the beating he'd just taken.

"Autumn and Will," Ryan glared at Adam, rage in his eyes at their names, "They were my family, too." Adam took a step forward, but fell to his side, with Riley dropping his sword and catching him before he could hit the ground. He lifted his head to look Ryan in the eyes. "Flint has caused too much death and destruction in one day. He needs to die; for them. I can't do that without you." Ryan looked down at his wrists.

 _I've become a monster._ He clenched his fists. "Your way is going to get more people killed." Ryan released his fists. "I'm done fighting your battles. I'm going home, wherever that may be." The swashbuckler deactivated his gauntlets and pushed Pedro and Brave out of his way. Peyton followed him as he stormed off.

"Ryan, where are you going?"

"Away. This group is broken. You should leave too, before it's too late." Ryan picked up his pace, almost leaving Peyton behind.

"I can't leave; Skull Island is my home." Peyton stopped moving. "And yours too." Ryan stopped in his tracks at the words.

"Home," Ryan chuckled. "Autumn was my home, and now she's dead. Regaining a useless piece of land is nothing compared to the chance to have one more minute with her." Ryan turned to face Peyton. "Like I said, I'm leaving, and you should too." Ryan regained his former pace and left without another word.

* * *

"How could he just walk away like that?" Adam winced as Sirena wrapped a layer of bandages around his injured leg. The privateer tied the knot at the end and stood up from her kneeling position.

"He's hurting right now." Sirena touched an ice pack to Adam's face. "He just needs time to get his head straight. He'll come around." Adam took the ice pack from her grasp and held it in place himself. He stood up and began to exit the hut.

"I'm holding a meeting with my crew in ten minutes. You and Morgan are welcome to join. There's a lot to talk about besides Ryan." The musketeer limped away, the pain in his legs growing stronger.


	19. Chapter 18 Spiral Council

Ch. 18 Spiral Council

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Lenora stood by Adam as they stood outside a large marble chamber in Marleybone with the rest of the crew except for Pedro and Riley, who was still injured with the latter taking care of him. He was about to beg the other realms of the Spiral for aid against Flint. The musketeer leaned against the wall to maintain his balance in his current state.

"It doesn't matter what I want," Adam stated, a slight notion of fear in his tone, "We can't defeat Flint without the numbers to face him. He's taken over an entire realm of the Spiral, one that was occupied by almost every other realm. The other realms can't just sit by while their strongest ally's home falls into darkness." Adam turned to look Lenora in the eyes. There was a determined look in them.

"I don't care what everyone else needs or thinks; what do you think?" Adam stared at her.

"I," the words got caught in Adam's throat. "I'm scared that they'll think I'm preaching a lost cause."

"Adam," Morgan walked up to the younger musketeer, "You could have hidden how Flint is your uncle and how Blaze created the clockworks. Why didn't you?" Adam didn't answer. "You had faith that we wouldn't judge you and would help anyway. We're with you." A grin stretched across Adam's face. The pirate took a deep breath, exhaled, and pushed open the door, his crew following close behind him.

The room was designed after an amphitheater, with the leaders of every realm in seats closest to the main floor. Adam surveyed the room and saw Admiral Nelson and Mycroft Bones representing Marleybone and Rajah, the emperor of Mooshu standing for himself, Ulysses for Aquila, Queen Eleanor for Monquista, El Toro for Cool Ranch, and an unknown unicorn from Valencia.

 _I guess things are settling down in Valencia._ Adam walked into the center of the room. "Admiral Nelson, it's good to see you again." Adam gave a slight salute. The dog replied with a salute of his own.

"Likewise, Captain Silver." Adam greeted everyone in turn until he reached to unicorn.

"I'm sorry," Adam started, "I haven't been to Valencia in a while. I don't know what has happened since I freed your realm." The unicorn nodded in acknowledgement.

"That is alright. My name is Emmanuel the third. Successor to King Casimir." The Italian unicorn bowed. "It is an honor to meet the man who freed my people from the Armada."

"That is why I am here." Adam spoke to all of them. "Skull Island has been taken." A wave of murmurs fell over the room. "The man who took it brought an army made up of clockworks and pirates alike. He has an immeasurable amount of power compared to me and my crew's. He has loyal followers-"

"You are referring to your uncle, Dark Flint Silver." Adam was stopped mid-sentence by Mycroft.

"How do you know that name?"

"We have all been given the same information prior to this meeting," Queen Eleanor answered. "He also gave us a holo disk with a video he said to play in front of you." Adam took the disk and inserted it into the holographic interface that stood before him. An enlarged version of Flint filled the room.

"Leaders of the Spiral, you all know who I am, but for those who don't know, my name is Dark Flint Silver." The holographic form moved about the room as it spoke. "You all know the truth. I have taken over Skull Island and all of its skyways. This is all that I desire. I don't want to fight you, but I will defend what is mine. If you do attempt to help this rogue take back his, so called, home, I will have no choice but to unleash my forces on your realms in retaliation." Seeming to know that Blaze was in the room, Flint turned to face Adam's crew. "I would, also, like to introduce you to someone special. This man with the golden arm," Flint pointed out, "Is Merciful Blaze Silver: my son, creator of the clockworks, the man who killed Avery Silver, and Kane." Blaze stepped back. The rest of the room locked their eyes on the privateer. "Now, why would someone who would call upon your aid harbor such a dangerous war criminal?" Flint turned to address the Spiral Council again. "I've said my piece. I hope you make the right decision." The image flickered off. Adam just stared straight ahead.

"Is all of this true?" Ulysses' hands were already moving to the sword on his hip. Adam snapped out of his trance.

"Yes." The whole room erupted in screams and demands of arrest and execution. "Let me explain. Blaze was under the influence of a personality matrix called Tauros. He took advantage of him after Flint killed our mother. You can't hold him accountable for the actions of another."

"Sigma was the only known personality matrix in existence. How do you know that others exist?" The question from a random dog in the audience spurred an unavoidable action from Adam.

"Come on out, Sagittarius." Adam's golden matrix flickered to life.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Sagittarius. I was created by Captain Horace Avery Silver along with my brother program, Tauros."

"So," the Mooshu emperor stated, anger in his voice, "Not only have you been harboring a war criminal, but you have also been in possession of technology that has been deemed illegal in all realms of the Spiral after the Sigma incident!"

"With all due respect, Emperor," Adam attempted to explain before he was cut off by Sagittarius.

"Sigma sought power and control, much like Tauros has. I am here as a combat advisor and memory fragment. If I wanted to control Adam, I could have done so at any time." Adam shuddered at the thought of being controlled. "That being said, I still voice my opinions to Adam when a move seems risky or when I know an outcome is inevitable and he adjusts to the standards."

"We're partners," Adam stated. "Look, what my brother did in the past was horrible and can probably never be forgiven, but I'm asking you to overlook that right now. After everything I've done, that is the least you can do." The room fell silent as the council members each took their seats. Mycroft motioned with his hands for Adam to continue. "There will come a time where my brother must pay for his crimes, but now is not the time. As I said earlier, Flint has dark pirates and _clockworks_ at his disposal. Blaze has first-hand knowledge of how they're built and how to destroy them. My crew and I will keep a close eye on him, but you need to understand; he's more valuable free than he is imprisoned or dead." He paced in circles around the amphitheater. "I have helped you all with one problem or another on numerous occasions. All I'm asking is for you to give us aid as we gave it to you." Silence, once again, fell over the room. _Please, help us._ He walked back to his crew while the remainder of the council left the room to discuss the matter.

* * *

"They'll help, Adam," Mary reassured. Blaze stood away from everyone else.

"They'll want me." Adam turned to his brother. "They think I'm too dangerous to run free and I don't blame them."

"Blaze," Lenora consoled, "You can't think like that. Now that they know how valuable you are, they can't afford to take you in." Blaze faced Lenora.

"If you had created an army to destroy every living thing and could have stopped it at any time, but didn't, would you trust yourself to run free?" Lenora had no response for the question presented. "No answer. I thought so."

"That doesn't matter," Adam interrupted, "I trust you." A door opened and the council filed back into the room. Adam retook his place in the center of the room. He placed his hands behind his back as a show of respect and awaited their decision.

"Merciless Adam Silver," Admiral Nelson started, "Captain of the Golden Archer. In light of your accomplishments in the course of defending the realms of the Spiral for personal purposes and that of the greater good, we have elected to dispel the law regarding the use of personality matrixes. Your relationship with this 'Sagittarius' seems to be one of mutual trust." A grin started to form on Adam's face.

 _This is going better than I thought._

"Furthermore," Emmanuel continued, "We have agreed to suspend the charges that stand against your brother until your situation in Skull Island can be resolved."

"Oh, thank God," Adam sighed in relief, "You have no idea how much that means to me!" The musketeer couldn't help, but do a little dance. "Thank you so much!" Adam stopped when Queen Eleanor raised her paw.

"However," the queen resumed the deliverance, "Your foe is a powerful one and while our fleets are strong." The queen couldn't bring herself to finish the news. The Mooshu emperor finished for her.

"We will not be sending aid to Skull Island." The smile that had formed on Adam's face quickly faded.

"What?" Adam was confused. _How can they promise all of these things and not send help?_

"We understand that your situation is dire," Ulysses answered, "But Flint has made it clear; any action will result in attacks on our realms."

"Don't you get it?" Adam's blood started to boil. "He doesn't care if your honor your part or not. He'll attack you sooner or later. He knows that if you're too afraid to attack, it'll be easier to pick you off one by one."

"He has not given us any reason to believe otherwise," the Mooshu emperor retorted. "Our word is final." A fire burned in Adam's eyes. The musketeer stormed out of the room. His crew followed quickly behind him. Brave turned to face the council.

"You're making a big mistake." Brave followed the rest of the crew.

* * *

"Admiral Bellamy." The one armed sniper turned to see Admiral Nelson chasing after him.

"I'm not an admiral anymore. I'm just a pirate."

"You fought alongside many Marleybonians; like it or not, you're still an admiral in my book." The dog naval officer put his hand on his hip. "I just wanted to say that you're right. We are making a mistake." Brave raised his eyebrows quizzically. "I remember living through the end of the Polarian Wars, seeing the death and destruction that followed in the penguins' wake because of their arrogance. That's why I was fighting to get our fleets on your side."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Your captain is a good man. He deserved better than what he got in that room." The admiral leaned in and whispered into Brave's ear. " _I'll send in whatever support I can. It won't be much, but it'll have to do until I can convince the others to set aside their fear._ "

"I won't forget this, admiral," Brave graciously accepted.

"I'm sure. Just make sure that whatever comes your way, you fight to the last man." Nelson saluted and turned away.

"Admiral," Brave called. The dog turned to face the pirate. "Do you ever feel it? Like it was still there?" Brave motioned to his missing limb.

"Every day," the admiral sighed.


	20. Chapter 19 Lovers' Quarrel

Ch. 19 Lovers' Quarrel

"How could they be so blind?!" Adam threw a glass of yum, smashing it against the wall. He and Lenora had stopped at a pub on their way back to the apartment Adam had in Marleybone. They had been sitting quietly, enjoying their drinks, until Adam broke the glass.

"Hey," the bartender yelled, "You've got to pay for that!" Adam scoffed at his demand and tossed a few gold coins to him. He slumped back in his chair, not wanting to hear any more of it.

"I'm just as disappointed as you, Adam." Lenora looked at the musketeer, comfort in her eyes. "But, at the same time, I can understand why they made their decision."

"What? You agree with them?"

"No," Lenora clarified, "I think they're making a huge mistake, too. But they're scared; people do stupid things when they're scared." Lenora went to take a sip of her drink.

"Is that what Kyle was when he hurt you?" Lenora froze. "He was scared, so he hurt you?" Lenora reached to feel the scar her father had imprinted on her so many years ago.

"I don't know," Lenora grumbled. "I don't know what kind of person he was back then. All I know is that he fought _with_ us when the time came, _and_ that he stayed behind to buy us time to escape Skull Island."

"I know," Adam apologized. He leaned his arms on the table, face in his hands. "That was wrong of me. I just don't know what to do. After everything I've done, it's still not enough to get us even a shred of help." At that moment, Brave walked into the bar. "Great. I'm guessing you have more bad news for us." Brave pulled up a chair to the table.

"Lenora, don't let Captain Drunk here have anything more to drink," Brave requested. He leaned in toward the two pirates and whispered the new. " _Actually, I got us some support. Nelson was fighting for us in that meeting. He pulled me aside_ _and told me he'd sneak us ships and troops when he could._ "

"That's a start." Adam took another sip from his drink.

"Didn't I just say not to let him drink anymore?" Lenora leaned back in her seat.

"You try stopping him. I tried and he nearly clawed out my eyes." Finishing the gulp in his mouth, Adam slammed the cup on the table.

"I am not so intoxicated that I can't follow a conversation!"

"I WASN'T excluding you from the conversation!" Lenora was losing her temper. "I only said that you've been slightly out of control since the meeting."

"So that's what I am, is that it? I'm out of control?!" Adam stood up from the table.

"That's not what I meant."

"Save it!" Adam addressed the whole pub. "It's clear that you don't think I'm fit to lead!" Adam reached to the sword and pistol tattoo that marked Sagittarius' location in his body.

"Adam, what are you…" Sagittarius was cut off as his control chip was expelled from Adam's wrist. He took the chip and tossed it onto the table.

"If you think you can do things so much better than me, you lead this whole counter attack!"

"Will you calm down?!" Lenora had snapped. "You made a bad call; it happens. But don't get mad at me because I saved lives!" She got up to stop him from leaving. "Take a breath and get over it!" Adam reared around and punched the right side of her face, his drunken state guiding his actions. She let go and fell to the ground. She clutched the right side of her face, feeling the blood that was seeping from the fresh wound. Adam looked down at her, then at his hands.

 _What did I just do?_ He saw the pain and sadness in her eyes. He looked at Sagittarius' control chip on the table. _I'm not myself._ "I- I'm sorry." Adam reached to comfort his girlfriend, but she flinched away in fear at his touch. "Lenora," Adam stuttered, "I'm sorry."

"Just go!" Lenora crawled away from him. "Stay away from me!" Adam looked at her one last time and ran out the door. Brave moved to check her injury. "How could he do that to me?"

"He was just drunk," the sniper responded, "You saw the way he acted." He handed her a napkin to wipe away the blood. She accepted it and cleaned the wound. She left the pub and went to find her parents.

* * *

"It's about time we got some time to ourselves," Morgan commented, "especially seeing as our honeymoon was cut short." The musketeer took off his shirt. He turned to the bed, his wife laying upon it.

"You're telling me," she laughed. "It feels great to not be a prisoner right now." They found a hotel that had a vacancy and rented a room while they waited for their departure. Sirena was reading a book while Morgan was getting ready for bed. "This is nice."

"Being kicked out of our home?" Morgan was joking, of course, but he couldn't help but detect some truth in his question.

"No," the privateer replied, "The calm. It's been so long since we could just take a break and relax. Even if we're technically homeless right now, we're together and there's no reason to fight right now." Sirena closed her book and set it on her bedside table. "That was a good chapter. Now, where were we?" Morgan crawled onto the bed, laying down next to his wife. He gave her neck a quick kiss. "Oh," she chuckled, "Now I remember." Morgan started to unbutton her shirt when he heard a knock at the door.

"Ugh," Morgan shouted, angrily, "We didn't call room service; that's two doors down!"

"Well," the voice, feminine, retorted, "When I see them, I'll let them know, but for now could you let me in!" It was Lenora. Sirena quickly buttoned up her blouse while Morgan went to answer the door. Lenora walked in as her mother finished with the last button. "Uh," shock filled the swashbuckler's voice, "Did I interrupt something?" Morgan closed the door. He didn't feel like explaining themselves after everything they've been through.

"Yes." Morgan got straight to the point. "We've had a rough few days and wanted to relieve some stress."

"Too much information." Lenora shook her head, giving her mother a chance to see the scratch on her face.

"What happened?" Sirena stood up from the bed and touched the wound.

"Adam did it." Lenora wrapped her arms around herself and walked to the mirror Morgan had been using. "He was drunk. We were arguing. We both said things we probably shouldn't have said and he hit me." Lenora started to weep. "I was SCARED of him. I flinched at his very touch. He ran out of the pub after I refused his apology." Sirena saw the desperation in her daughter's eyes. "I don't know what I should do."

"Morgan, could you step outside for a moment?" Morgan complied and closed the door behind him. As she heard the door click shut, Sirena sat down on the bed and motioned for her daughter to sit with her. "When I was with Kyle, we fought nonstop. Eventually, we would fight just to have a reason to want to look at the other person. It wasn't healthy. In our last shouting match, just two weeks after you were born, he had had enough. He took his knife out and slashed at me. I knocked away his arm and sent it flying toward you. I'm the reason you have that scar." Lenora reached to feel her birthmark on the back of her neck.

"Why are you telling me this?" Lenora loved that her mother was sharing this, but didn't understand the relevance.

"Because I used to think that my whole life would be one big fight." Sirena got up and leaned out the mirror. "Then I met Morgan. He cared about me, protected me, and you. He always listened and I felt I could tell him anything. That was something I couldn't do with Kyle because neither of us ever tried to have a calm discussion, but those fights made me realize something. I never tried to make peace with him. Maybe if I had, he could have been the father you always wanted to know." The privateer turned back to face her daughter. "I let our fights get in the way of what could have been a peaceful life, and so did he. Don't let the two of you end up like we did."

"I… I don't know if I can _never_ fight with him again."

"I'm not saying you'll never fight again, but you both have to have the strength to put it behind each other. Every couple has their fights." Lenora got up and moved to the door.

"Thanks mom." Lenora touched her face. "Hopefully this will fade soon.

"Hey," Sirena chuckled, "Nothing a little bit of makeup can't fix." Lenora laughed at the comment and left. Morgan reentered the room. "Now, where were we?" Morgan pushed his wife down onto the bed. "Oh, now I remember."


	21. Chapter 20 The Slow Knife

Ch. 20 The Slow Knife

"What did you do?!" Adam slammed the door shut as he entered his apartment. The long walk helped him to sober up, as did the water that had been thrown on him from a nearby window. In anger, he kicked the wall of the room, making a small hole. The musketeer calmed down for a brief moment and removed his weapons from his belt, setting them on the desk by the window. "I need a shower. Relax myself."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Adam walked out, clothes back on his body, his brown hair glistening with water. He walked to check over his weapons and noticed something. There was a small data chip sitting by his sword and pistols. Luckily, he had a console in his room to check what was on it. Flint popped up the second the data was decrypted.

"Well, nephew." Adam scowled at the visage before him. "I hope your little meeting went well. Although, I'm guessing it went better for me." Flint held back a laugh. "I'll bet you warned them that I wouldn't stop at Skull Island; you're right. I won't be satisfied until the whole Spiral bows to me. When I've found what I need, I'll strike. I won't tell you what it is, but I will let you in on a secret. I didn't get to Skull Island with sheer brute force. A friend of mine gave me a copy of your patrol schedule." Adam's eyes widened and he began to study his uncle's face, hoping to detect any sign of untruth. He saw none. "That's right, Merciless Adam Silver. You, once again, have a traitor in your midst. This traitor will pick you all off slowly. I want to watch your precious family crumble. You see, it's the slow knife, the knife that waits, that cuts deepest." Flint did a mock bow. "Good luck." As the message finished, Adam had already begun pacing around the room.

 _Another traitor. Who can I trust? What am I going to do with them when I find out who it is?_ Adam abandoned this line of thought when he heard a knock at his door. He opened it up, hoping Lenora had come back. "Lenora?!" Instead, he saw a familiar face in the doorway. "Cole?"

"Can I come in?" Adam ushered the witchdoctor in. Cole looked around the room, examining every surface's details. "This is a nice apartment. Wish I could afford one."

"Didn't I give you a whole bag of El Dorado gold?"

"Ship repairs and supplies took up most of the costs." Cole sat down in the empty chair by the desk. "I ran into Lenora on my way over here; she seemed upset." Adam pulled up a chair and joined him at the table.

"I was drunk and stupid. I said things I never should have said."

"Well," Cole chuckled, "Nothing a cold glass of water can't fix." The dark robed pirate got up and took two glasses from the nearby cupboard, pouring the liquid into each one. He handed one to Adam and took a sip from his own. "I heard about Will, Autumn, and Ryan. I'm sorry."

"Me too." Adam took a sip and set down the glass. "As sad as it is, though, I've got bigger problems." The musketeer turned on the video Flint had given him. Cole viewed the video intently. When it was over, Cole stood up and paced around the room. "I've got a traitor to track down and I have no leads to follow."

"If you ask me, it couldn't be someone close to you. You're crew cares too much about you and Skull Island to turn traitor." Cole picked up Adam's sword and began to study it. "Then again, whoever betrayed you would have to know Flint in some way." Adam was intrigued. "They'd also know everything about Skull Island. Otherwise, they'd be walking blind trying to take it." The witchdoctor slid his gloved right hand across the length of the blade. "This is a nice sword. Where'd you get it?"

"It was my father's sword. He made it when he went to El Dorado and left it there for me to find."

"That's right. I almost forgot that Avery was your father. His wife's name was Alexis, correct?" Adam nodded in acknowledgement. "That was your mother. It's a shame that Flint had to kill her."

"That's why I'm not going to give up. He's caused too much death to keep on living." Adam clenched his fists then came to a realization. _I never told anyone that Flint killed my mother. Blaze is the only other person who knows._ "Wait- I never told anyone that Flint killed my mother."

"So I noticed." A devious grin spread across Cole's face. The witchdoctor removed his glove, revealing a metallic hand; a clockwork hand.

"You're the traitor!" Adam stood up, but dizziness overtook his body. He fell to the ground, the room spinning around him. "What… what did you do to me?" Cole stood over the pirate leader.

"There was a neurotoxin in the glass of water you drank. Your body is trying to fight it off, but it won't matter in the end." Adam turned back to the desk and tried to pull himself up to reach his pistols. Cole saw this and stabbed the sword into Adam's right leg. Adam screamed out in pain, blood already oozing from the wound. "You know what? It really is a nice sword." Cole studied the blade one more time. "Such a shame to see such fine craftsmanship go to waste." Cole wrapped his metallic hand around the blade and applied pressure, shattering the blade while it remained in Adam's leg.

"Why?" Adam couldn't get up with copious amounts of metal in his leg. "Why would you do this?"

"I've known Flint for a long time. Hell, I helped him find his powers. The ability to control dark energy was too great an offer to pass up." Adam tried to move his body, but realized he was completely immobile. "I'm lucky that I'm a witchdoctor, otherwise you'd remember the past few hours." Cole pulled a knife off of his belt. "Like Flint said, 'it's the slow knife that cuts deepest.'"

* * *

"Brave, Bonnie, what are you doing here?" Lenora had finally arrived back at Adam's apartment to find the other two pirates arriving as well.

"Adam left Sagittarius on the table." The sniper held up the control chip for the personality matrix. "Figured we shouldn't let him fall into the wrong hands." Bonnie stretched her body, hands behind her head.

"I wanted to talk to Adam. I think we still need some time to get back to full strength. I was going to suggest we wait a week before we try to strike back against Flint." Lenora opened the door to the stairway and they began their climb. "I almost lost Jordan; I don't want to live another second without her."

"I think that's a good idea," Lenora smiled, "I don't know if we'll get a week, but I know we'll have a bit of time before we go back into the fray." The swashbuckler's words comforted Bonnie. The three pirates reached the floor of Adam's apartment. As they approached the door, they were stopped by the sound of glass smashing. Lenora took a small step forward and felt a difference in the floor. It was wet. She looked down and saw blood flowing from under the doorsill. She frantically tried to unlock the door with the key Adam had given her, but the key broke off in the hole. Brave and Bonnie saw how scared she was and, together, they rushed the door, busting it open with brute force. "Adam!" Lenora rushed over to Adam's mutilated body. His right arm had been severed half way to his upper arm, his left leg was missing to the knee, and his right eye had a dagger embedded in it. Lenora noticed his sword, shattered in pieces next to him. Blood was rushing out of his wounds. Bonnie hurriedly took off her scarf and wrapped it around the musketeer's leg stump.

"Brave, hand me your belt." The fox's Scottish accent snapped Brave out of his trance. The pirate removed his leather belt and handed it to the fellow sniper. She wrapped the belt around Adam's arm, using it as a tourniquet. "Go out and get help!" Brave ran out the door. "You're goin' to be fine, captain." Lenora lifted his head into her lap, crying above his face.

"Who," Lenora wept, "Who did this to you?" A cough from Adam's lips startled her and Bonnie. The musketeer's left eye shot open, pupil dilating. He turned his head to face the broken window, pointing with his remaining arm. One word escaped his lips before he passed out from blood loss.

"Traitor."


	22. Chapter 21 Broken Blade

Ch. 21 Broken Blade

"Lenora, you need to relax." Jordan and the rest of the crew had met up with Lenora, Bonnie, and Brave at the nearby hospital upon hearing the news. "Pacing around the room isn't going to help anyone."

"Well, what else can I do!?" Lenora was stressed. The swashbuckler took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just scared."

"We're all scared," the brunette buccaneer consoled, "You just need to rest. That's the best thing you can do right now."

"I want to know who did this to my brother." Blaze got up from his seat in the waiting room. "Not just anyone could have done this. This attack was meticulously thought out."

"'Traitor,'" Bonnie spoke the last words Adam had said. "That was the last thing he said before he passed out. Someone is working for Flint. We need to find out who." The fox took off her hat and brushed her fur back. _Who can be trusted? Who can't?_ Bonnie turned to Jordan. _No. Never Jordan._ She wouldn't let fear of the unknown make her paranoid of everyone. Putting her hat back on, she stood up as Mary walked out with the rest of the doctors. They had sent Ratbeard, Morgan, and Sirena to get her as soon as Adam had been rushed to the hospital. If anyone could save him, it'd be her.

"Is he alive?!" Lenora panicked. Mary took off her surgical gloves and wiped the sweat from her face.

"He appears to be stable." The crew let out a sigh of relief. "You three saved his life. Any later and… well." Lenora refused to think about the alternative right now.

"Can I see him?" As soon as the witchdoctor nodded, the red-haired pirate rushed through the door.

"Fifth door on the left!" Lenora caught the information and ran faster, her hair flowing behind her. She opened the door and was greeted by a frail old woman.

"Can I help you, dear?" Lenora blinked.

"Um." The pirate felt a hand on her left shoulder. She turned and saw Peyton.

"One more door, Red." Lenora looked back down the hall and saw only three doors.

"Oh," she mumbled. "I am so sorry, ma'am."

"Not to worry, dear," the woman smiled. "You seem worried. Go find whoever it is you're looking for." The two pirates walked over to the next door and entered. Adam lay on the bed, missing limbs with bandages around them. There was an eye patch over his right eye.

"My God." Peyton covered her mouth with her left hand. "Lenora, I am so sorry." The swashbuckler slowly made her way to Adam's bedside. She dropped to her knees and laid her head on the edge of the bed.

"Adam," Lenora wept, "I'm sorry for everything that happened. I wish I could take our fight back and erase it from existence. Maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt and this traitor wouldn't have been able to do so much damage." Peyton wanted to console her; tell her everything would be alright, but she knew this wasn't the time. Lenora needed to let it all out.

"Is he going to be okay?" Peyton turned to the door and saw Brave and Riley standing there, waiting to enter.

"I don't know, sweetie," Peyton responded. She didn't want to be brutally honest, but she also didn't want to get her hopes up. "Only time will tell." A groan came from the bed.

"Adam!" Lenora jumped up in surprise.

"Hey." The musketeer surveyed the room. His whole crew had filled the space available. "What's everyone looking at?" He noticed his sight was very limited. Reaching his hand to his face, he felt the leather of the patch over his right eye. "My eye." Adam attempted to prop himself up on his elbows, but couldn't get his right arm to support his weight. He moved his head and saw a stump where his arm used to be. "I guess you and I are twins, huh, Brave?" The sniper couldn't help but let out a laugh. Adam slid off the bed, only to fall to the ground. Lenora and Blaze helped him up. "Why can't I stand?" The musketeer looked down and saw his missing left leg. "Take me to a mirror." The two pirates complied and Adam saw himself for the first time. The bandages covering his severed limbs and eye were a shock to the system. "Well." Adam motioned that he wanted to lie back down. When he was comfortable, he began to ask questions. "What happened?"

"Ye mean," Ratbeard asked, "Ye can't remem'er?"

"No," Adam admitted. "I remember the meeting with the Spiral Council. After that, nothing."

"You don't remember anything after that?" Lenora wondered if he couldn't remember their fight.

"No." Lenora was secretly relieved that he didn't remember what he did.

 _He doesn't need to know._ "You said, 'traitor,' when you woke up after we found you. That means Flint has someone in our ranks."

"I'm sure Sagittarius saw who did it. Let's just ask him."

"Adam," Brave held up Sagittarius' control chip, "You got drunk last night and removed Sagittarius from your body. Whoever did this, we have no way of knowing who it was." Adam rubbed his face with his right hand.

"God," Adam groaned, "How many more stupid mistakes am I going to make?" He looked at his crew. "I want to talk with Lenora, Mary, Blaze, Brave, and Bonnie alone." Everyone complied, leaving the six of them in the room alone.

"Look, Adam," Blaze started, "I'm still working on Pedro's prosthetic eyes, but limbs are easier to build. I don't know why, they just are. As soon as I'm done with his eyes, I'll build you one, along with a new arm and leg." Adam shifted his body in his bed.

"We still have what little support we can get from Nelson," Brave stated. "But we still need you." Brave held out Sagittarius, waiting for Adam to take him.

"No."

"What?"

"I said 'no.'" Adam pushed Brave's hand away. "I can't take Sagittarius. He's only useful to someone who is in control. I'm like a broken blade. I'm… I'm not fit to lead."

"Adam," Bonnie tried to convince him otherwise, "Do you know how many times your plan has saved countless lives?"

"And how many people have died because of my mistakes?" Adam's retort made sense. "Joe, Catbeard, Avery, Will, and Autumn. We still don't know if Kyle is alive!" Adam buried his face in his hand. "I'm the reason Ryan left us. If I hadn't caused all of those deaths, maybe he'd still be here."

"We'll give you some space," Mary said. Only Lenora stayed behind. Adam lifted his head and looked into Lenora's eyes for the first time since he woke up. He saw the strength she was trying to give him, but he couldn't accept it.

"Where did you get that scratch from?" Lenora touched the scar from where Adam had hit him.

 _He can't know._ "Some idiot at the bar. They were playing a game of darts and it flew towards me."

"Must have been some idiot," Adam chuckled. His smile quickly faded. "I remember how you led the people of Skull Island when I was out of control."

"Anyone could have done the same thing." Lenora blushed.

"No, they couldn't have," Adam stated. "I want you to lead them."

"What?"

"Like I said, I don't trust myself with command anymore. I trust you more than anyone else. You know how Sagittarius thinks and you have leadership experience." Lenora didn't know how to respond. "Please. Do it for me." Lenora grabbed his face and kissed him, refusing to break it for the next two minutes. When they finally broke away from each other, Adam laid his head back down. "I need to rest. Don't wait too long to visit me." Lenora stood up, but not before planting a kiss on his forehead.

"You're still the only captain that can lead us." Lenora left and Adam started to shift in the bed.

"It's your fault." A familiar voice drew Adam's attention. One he hadn't heard since they left Skull Island. The musketeer faced Will. "How could you let me die?"

"I didn't!" Adam wanted to push him away, but couldn't. Another voice joined in.

"Your leadership took me from my husband." Autumn came into view. "Your arrogance has separated me from my love."

"No. I was trying to save everyone!"

"Your pride cost me my life." Catbeard joined the two pirates. "I died saving you."

"I didn't mean for any of you to die!" Adam covered his remaining eye. "Please, leave me alone!"

* * *

"Adam," Lenora removed her ear from the door, "Please, be strong." Lenora made her way down the hall, thinking of how to deliver the news to the crew.

"Well," Sirena inquired, "What happened?"

"He's," Lenora searched for the words. "He's stepping down from command." Everyone was taken aback. "He named me captain." The swashbuckler motioned for Brave to step forward. The sniper knew what she'd called him over for. He took Sagittarius out of his pocket. She took the chip and placed it on her wrist. A quick burst of energy jolted through her body, similar to when Adam had first activated Sagittarius, a golden light surrounding her for a brief moment.

"Doing?!" The personality finished the sentence that Adam had cut off in his drunken state. His holographic body flickered to life over Lenora's shoulder. "Lenora? What am I doing in your body?"

"Adam was critically injured by an assassin," Blaze explained, "He lost an eye, most of his right arm, and his left leg. He stepped down from command." Blaze looked at the swashbuckler. "Lenora is in charge now." Sagittarius lowered his head.

"Fine," he sighed, "What do you want to do first?" Lenora took a moment to think. She knew getting the pirates ready was important, but she also knew she'd need weapons to support her new leadership position. Jordan, knowing what she was thinking, took a bag off of Bonnie's belt and gave it to Lenora. Lenora took out the hilt of Adam's sword.

"I want to see the original schematics for Adam's sword."

* * *

"Still working on that thing?" Peyton was carrying a tray of food. "You keep going like this and we'll need another leader." Lenora took off the goggles she was wearing and set them down on the table. She had taken the sword fragments to the Golden Archer and was assembling it there. The swashbuckler had managed to find Adam's equipment and started the rebuilding process.

"Hey," she retorted, "Rebuilding a broken sword is a lot harder than it seems. Let alone the upgrades I'm gonna make." Peyton eyeballed her and Lenora capitulated. She picked up the sandwich the privateer had brought her and bit into it. "Thanks for bringing me some food."

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Lenora looked up at her, seeing a need to talk to someone in her eyes. She nodded. "I like Ryan." This wasn't new information to Lenora, but she let Peyton continue, uninterrupted. "Something about him made my heart jump when we were sparring. I felt alive when we fought. We kept each other on our toes the whole time. But he was married." Lenora was slightly perplexed.

"You were hoping something would happen to Autumn?"

"What?!" Peyton waved her hands in denial. "God, no! I may have liked him while she was with him, but I never wanted anything to happen to her." Peyton took a deep breath. "Look, when Autumn's powers were transferred to me, she gave me something extra." Peyton raised her hand and the vision Autumn had sent her played for Lenora.

"She told me to show him this when the moment is right." Peyton had started to cry. "I could have shown him this before he left El Dorado. Maybe he would have stayed. Maybe Adam wouldn't have been maimed. Maybe…" Lenora raised a hand, cutting her off.

"You made the right call." Peyton blinked, confused. "If you had shown this to him then, it would have made things worse." Lenora put down the sandwich. "Ryan's grieving. He needs time before he can come to terms with what happened." Bonnie Anne entered the cabin, a plate of food in her hands. "I swear, I feel like you're all trying to make me eat myself to death." Lenora laughed.

"What are ya' talking about?" Bonnie took her right paw and tossed a grape into her mouth. "This is my food." Bonnie noticed the fragmented sword on the table. "Still working on that blade?" Lenora nodded. "Don't worry. You'll get it done." Lenora leaned back in her chair.

"I'm scared."

"It's just a sword, Lenora."

"It's more than that!" Lenora took a breath. "I heard something when I left Adam in the hospital. He was screaming to himself. Blaming himself for those deaths." Lenora lifted the hilt of the sword. "He's a broken blade, just like this sword, and I don't know if I can fix it!" The swashbuckler threw the hilt and it embedded itself in the wood by the door. Lenora buried her face in her hands.

"Well, that's a fine way to say hello!" Lenora rose up and drew her daggers, rushing the door. She held her blades to the intruder's neck. The intruder was a white dog with black patches on covering her eyes, ears, and elbows. A pair of binoculars hung from her neck and she had a wrench on her belt. "Easy, girl. I'm not here to cause trouble." Bonnie pulled Lenora off the dog, pushing her back a bit.

"Gracie Conrad!" Bonnie hugged her fellow Marleybonian. "I haven't seen you since we destroyed the Armada."

"I agree. It's been too long." The dog broke off the embrace and rubbed her neck. "Thank you for not killing me."

"What are you doing here, Gracie?"

"Nelson sent me. Told me you needed help." The dog pulled out the hilt from the wall. "I guess he was right." She turned back to Lenora. "You must be Red Lenora Noble. I'm sorry about what happened; Adam was a good friend." Gracie moved to the table where the rest of the sword lay. "Do you have any schematics?"

"Sagittarius," Lenora called for the personality matrix. He shimmered to life over the table. He waved his hand and blueprints appeared.

"Wow!" Gracie was astonished. "So _you're_ Sagittarius! It's a pleasure to meet you." She shook off the excitement and studied the plans. "I can have this done in no time." She picked up the tools Lenora had been using and got to work.

"Well, she wastes no time." Peyton leaned on her hips.

"Let's give her some space. She works best without distractions." The three pirates left the cabin and waited. A few minutes later, Gracie came out, Adam's sword in hand.

"Done!" The dog slashed the sword through the air a few times then handed it, hilt first, to Lenora. The swashbuckler took the blade and held it in her right hand. "Click that button on the bottom and you'll get what you were trying to do." Lenora pushed the button and the sword split down the middle. She held the two blades in each hand. Each had the firing capability the original had. She pushed the blades back together and they reattached, forming one blade, once again. "It really is a nice sword. Probably my best work." The engineer was greeted by a hug from Lenora.

"Thank you." Gracie broke off the hug and took out her signature wrench.

"Adam was my first, and only, captain. I'll do whatever it takes to help him and the people of Skull Island." Gracie held out her paw to Lenora. "I'd like to join your crew, if you'll have me."

"I'd have to be stupid not to take the help." Lenora shook Gracie's paw and proceeded to sheath her sword. "Bonnie, get everyone back to the ship." Lenora went up to the wheel. She gripped the hilt of the sword. "Flint thinks he can break us. It's time for us to prove him wrong."

* * *

 **A.N.: _Bet you weren't expecting Gracie to make an appearance. Honestly, neither did I. But when I was thinking about this chapter, I decided the crew could use a familiar face to help out and I remembered how much I enjoy using her in combat. Also, it just made sense to have and old crew member and mechanic be the one to rebuild Adam's sword. Adding this character has put a slight delay into the next story, as I have had to rethink some of my major plot points, but don't worry. The prologue and first chapter should be out soon._**


	23. Epilogue

**A.N.: _Thank you everyone for seeing this chapter in the story through with me. Don't worry, this is far from the end, but I'm glad for everyone that has helped me get this far. And, trust me, the next book will be out as soon as I can get the first few chapters done._**

* * *

Epilogue

"We now have control of the entirety of Skull Island," Tauros said. The personality matrix, now without a body, moved the empty Kane armor across the room. "It's only a matter of time before we are at full strength."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Tauros." Flint took a sip from the glass of yum he held in his hand. "Jinx, how is Kristen doing?" The buccaneer lifted herself up from her perch.

"Her arm will be better in a few days. When she's back at full strength, we'll head out to secure our new outposts." Jillian went to the balcony, and let the wind flow through her brown and purple hair. "With your permission, I'd like to take our new ally with us when we begin our search afterwards."

"I'll think about it." Flint heard a door open and a black cloaked figure entered the room. "Cole, you're back."

"I swear, if I had to stay with those insufferable pirates for another hour, I was going to lose it." Cole slumped on the couch. "Adam is broken. Severed limbs and a damaged memory. He doesn't remember anything after he met with the council."

"Good," Flint sighed, "But you need to go back."

"What?"

"Not for much longer. I need you to make sure the odds stay in our favor until we find him. As long as he's out there, we can be stopped." Cole slammed his fist in anger.

"Find who?"

* * *

"Blaze," Lenora acknowledged, "What do you need?" Blaze closed the door to the captain's cabin.

"I need to talk to you." The privateer sat down in a chair, opposite Lenora. "It's about the clockworks."

"They were easy to beat before, it'll be easy now."

"No, it won't." Blaze raised his golden arm and a holographic display of a golden clockwork appeared. "These are the schematics of the golden clockworks." Sagittarius appeared and studied the schematics.

"Are they really indestructible?"

"No, but they're still difficult to take down." Blaze shut off the display. "That's beside the point. The thing that makes them different is they run on a separate intelligence network as the other clockworks."

"A different hive mind," Sagittarius stated, "And with Tauros controlling the Kane armor, they all follow him and Flint."

"Wait," Lenora interrupted, "So you're saying that if we want to defeat Flint, we need to take out Tauros and Kane?"

"Not at all," Blaze corrected, "I'm saying we need to divide and conquer." Blaze projected another image on the table. "What do you notice about this clockwork?" The clockwork looked a lot like the Kane armor, but the frown held by the Kane armor was replaced by what seemed like a contemplative grin. The figure had twin swords on its hips with knight-like secondary armor like that of a dragoon.

"Who is this?" Lenora had a million questions, but this was the most important.

"When I created the clockworks, I went through trial and error until I had two perfect soldiers. Each mind had great leadership capabilities and exceptional knowledge of combat. When I finally took over, after the Polarian Wars, Kane destroyed itself willingly, giving me command, but the other was stronger. He resisted until I had him and his clockwork followers in a corner. I deactivated him and hid his body. He's still there, waiting to be reactivated." Blaze shut off the hologram. "Like I said, this clockwork is stronger than the Kane armor and commanded more loyalty from my creations than even me. We get him and we heavily disrupt the clockwork forces, weaken Flint's army, and gain more soldiers with one move than we could through months of fighting." Lenora knew this was an opportunity they couldn't pass up.

"You know where this clockwork is and what he can do. That's good enough for me. But, we need to get our strength up before we do something so risky. We wait a month. Until then, we can do our best to throw Flint's forces into disarray."

"Sounds like a plan." Blaze stood up to leave before he was stopped by Lenora.

"You never said what this clockwork's name was."

"I'd have thought it'd be obvious." Blaze turned back to face her. "It's one of the oldest stories in the bible. Though, both his and Kane's names are spelled differently than the ones in the book." Lenora nodded. She remembered the story.

"Able."


End file.
